High Court Asks Telangana To Hold Local Body Polls In 3 Months
Hyderabad:
The Telangana High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to conduct local body elections in three months.
Justice T. Madhavi Devi pronounced the orders on a batch of petitions over the delay in conducting the gram panchayat polls.
The court directed the state government and the State Election Commission (SEC) to hold the polls by September 30. It did not agree with the arguments that they needed more time to start the election process.
The judge told them to complete divisions of wards in 30 days and the process of elections by September 30.
Former sarpanches had filed petitions, seeking the conduct of elections without delay. They pointed out that the terms of the panchayats expired on January 31, 2024, and the elections were already delayed by 18 months.
On Monday, Justice Madhavi Devi had reserved orders on six petitions filed by former sarpanches and the same were pronounced on Wednesday.
While reserving the orders, the single-judge bench reminded the state government that it had earlier assured the High Court that it would convene elections to local bodies by February 2025.
Additional Advocate General Imran Khan had submitted to the court that the state government would require a month to declare reservations for backward classes in local bodies. The court was informed that authorities were ensuring that the reservations to be announced for BCs would strictly be in compliance with the directions of the Supreme Court.
Appearing for the State Election Commission, senior counsel Vidyasagar had informed the bench that the Commission would hold elections to local bodies within 60 days of the government announcing reservations.
The petitioners requested that the bench extend their terms or conduct elections to the village panchayats immediately. They contended that the government appointed special officers in their places following the expiry of their terms. They argued that the appointment of special officers was against Articles 243E and 243K of the Constitution, they argued. This also contravenes the Telangana Panchayat Raj Act-2018.
The petitioners contended that local body elections must be held within six months of the expiry of the elected body's term, as mandated by the Constitution.
They submitted to the court that the state government in October last year had given an undertaking that the elections would be conducted by February 25, but it failed to fulfil it.
The former sarpanches also told the bench that they had spent money from their pockets for developmental works in their respective villages and sought reimbursement of their amount.
Meanwhile, former sarpanches have welcomed the court order. They said the governance in rural areas has come to a halt due to a lack of public representatives like ward members and sarpanches.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
20 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Bombay HC rejects plea claiming ‘discrepancies' during 2024 Maharashtra polls, ‘high percentage of votes after 6 pm'
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea raising concerns over alleged discrepancies in the voting process on November 20, 2024, the polling day for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, including 'unusually high percentage of votes' cast during the final minutes and after the closing hour of 6 pm. 'We have no manner of doubt that the petition is required to be summarily rejected. It is accordingly rejected. The hearing of this petition practically has taken the whole day, leaving aside our urgent cause list and for such reason it would certainly warrant dismissal with costs. However, we refrain from doing so,' the high court held. The bench of Justices Girish S Kulkarni and Arif S Doctor passed the order on a writ plea by city resident Chetan Chandrakant Ahire who claimed that over 75 lakh votes were polled after the official voting time of 6 pm, and several discrepancies were found in over 90 constituencies where the number of votes counted did not match with those polled, and there was no transparency in the process. The high court had on Monday concluded the hearing on contentions related to the maintainability of the plea and had noted that it will pass an order on Wednesday, June 25. The plea sought directions from the court to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to disclose the exact number of tokens distributed to voters after 6 pm at each polling station, and the total tokens distributed across all constituency segments. It also sought a declaration of the total votes cast and polled after 6 pm, and in the end sought that results declared by the respective returning officers (ROs) of each Assembly constituency be made 'null and void' due to non-compliance of norms and procedural lapses. The plea also sought immediate withdrawal of the election certificates issued by such ROs. Advocate Prakash Ambedkar, representing Ahire, on Monday argued that there was no transparent system for recording or verifying the authenticity of the 75 lakh votes and the ROs failed to comply with the guidelines in the ECI's 'handbook' for conducting elections and did not report discrepancies to the ECI. The bench queried whether the practice of coupons or tokens being given to those who voted beyond 6 pm was followed during the Lok Sabha elections and asked what was the difference during Assembly elections. 'Why did you not contend this during the Lok Sabha elections? Is that your case that the said practice (of giving coupons or tokens) was always available, but was not during Assembly elections? Is it a standard practice, and how was there a departure this time (Assembly elections) from earlier practice? That statement is not there in your petition. That's the whole thing,' the bench stated. Ambedkar said that while the statement concerned was not there in the petition, the apprehension was that those elected were not chosen through a free and fair election as it was manipulated with the 'deceit' by officials. 'A fraud on the Constitution cannot be allowed to remain,' Ambedkar argued, claiming that the ECI should come forward with documents to restore the shaken faith of commoners. The bench said that it was a grey area as to who got the votes polled after 6 pm. 'It may be the case that a single vote was not cast in favour of an elected candidate. How do we know? This is all uncertain.' Senior advocate Ashutosh Kumbhakoni, representing the ECI, however, raised preliminary objection on the maintainability of the plea stating that the petitioner had no locus standi (legal standing) to approach the court, the elected candidates were not made party to the plea, and the election cannot be set aside 'behind their back'. He added that the elections were conducted as per due procedures across over 1 lakh polling booths in 288 constituencies in Maharashtra. Advocate Uday Warunjikar, representing the central government, opposed the writ plea claiming that the petitioner could have filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) as he did not contest the elections or an election petition could have been filed within 45 days since the declaration of results by a candidate, however, the said period is over.
NDTV
44 minutes ago
- NDTV
"Those Who Did Not Contribute...": Congress Vs BJP On Emergency@50
New Delhi: The 50th anniversary of Emergency turned a political flashpoint with the BJP declaring it "Samvidhan Hatya Divas (Murder of Constitution Day" and the Congress alleging it is just a diversionary tactic meant to cover up its misgovernance. Union Cabinet adopted a resolution to honour sacrifices of those who resisted Emergency and observed two-minute silence against the excesses committed back then. "The year 2025 marks 50 years of the Samvidhan Hatya Diwas - an unforgettable chapter in the history of India where the Constitution was subverted, the Republic and democratic spirit of India was attacked, federalism was undermined, and fundamental rights, human liberty and dignity were suspended," read the resolution from the cabinet, adopted at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Top leaders of the BJP slammed Emergency - imposed by the government of the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975 - and used the occasion to target the Congress. "The opposition to the dictatorship of Congress was not merely political. It was a movement to protect the soul of India and the Constitution in which nationalists put their lives at stake. Jai Prakash Narayan and Chaudhary Charan Singh, as well as Atal ji, Advani ji, Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia, Murli Manohar Joshi, and thousands of party workers and 'Vichar Parivar' workers were forcibly put in jail by Indira Gandhi's government," said BJP chief JP Nadda. Mr Nadda also flagged PM Modi's contribution at the time, saying he, "as a responsible worker, threw dust in the eyes of the dictatorial government and with the help of lakhs of dedicated volunteer workers, took the truth of Congress to every village, every street and every house." "PM Modi is repeatedly invoking a period that the country has moved past. He is making an issue out of something that people have already forgotten," said Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, pointing to the government's move to commemorate the day. "The Prime Minister's sudden interest in the Constitution is only to counter our year-long campaign to protect it. Those who never contributed to the freedom struggle or constitution-making are now claiming to defend it", Mr Kharge said at a press conference this morning. Calling the NDA government's rule since 2014 an "undeclared emergency," Mr Kharge said, "There's rising inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crony capitalism. But the government distracts from these issues with such drama." Mr Kharge said currently BJP-ruled states receive favourable treatment while Opposition-ruled states are neglected. "Governors are now used as political tools. The Supreme Court itself had to intervene against governors sitting on bills," he noted. The debate reverberate across states as the BJP slammed the Congress, saying its "emergency mindset" persists. "It (the Congress) wants to run the country according to its convenience. If it wins elections, it doesn't have any problem with the Constitution but after any setback in polls, it starts claiming that the Constitution is in danger," said party MP Sudhanshu Trivedi. "Months ago, Rahul Gandhi went abroad and asked why the defenders of democracy - US and Europe were silent on India. Such utterances show the party's Emergency mindset," he said, asking why an individual's political ambitions can outweigh the interests of a nation. Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari said the BJP is "observing the 50th anniversary of Emergency to hide its own misdeeds like toppling elected governments through horse trading of MLAs, atrocities against Dalits, tribal community and women in the state and the country".
NDTV
44 minutes ago
- NDTV
Union Cabinet Resolves To Honour Sacrifices Of Emergency Victims
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday observed brief silence as a mark of tribute to the victims of the Emergency and resolved to commemorate and honour their sacrifices. At a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Cabinet observed a two-minute silence as a tribute to those whose constitutionally guaranteed democratic rights were taken away and who were then subjected to unimaginable horrors. The Union Cabinet resolved to commemorate and honour the sacrifices of countless individuals who valiantly resisted the Emergency and its attempt at subversion of the spirit of the Indian Constitution which began in 1974 with a heavy-handed attempt at crushing the Navnirman Andolan and Sampoorna Kranti Abhiyan, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said. "The Union Cabinet paid tributes to their exemplary courage and valiant resistance to the Emergency's excesses," Vaishnaw said. He said the year 2025 marks 50 years of the Samvidhan Hatya Diwas - an unforgettable chapter in the history of India where the Constitution was subverted, the Republic and democratic spirit of India was attacked, federalism was undermined, and fundamental rights, human liberty and dignity were suspended. "The Union Cabinet reaffirmed that the people of India continue to repose unflinching faith in the Indian Constitution and the resilience of the country's democratic ethos," Vaishnaw said. "It is as important for the young as it is for the old to draw inspiration from those who resisted dictatorial tendencies and stood firm to defend our Constitution and its democratic fabric," the minister said. Vaishnaw said India, as the Mother of Democracy, stands as an example of preserving, protecting and safeguarding constitutional values. "Let us, as a nation, renew our resolve to uphold our Constitution and its democratic and federal spirit," Vaishnaw said.
