Polls to local bodies: State govt in a dilemma as HC deadline on quota ends
On June 25, the High Court directed the government i.e. the State Election Commission (SEC) to conduct panchayat polls within three months. Justice T. Madhavi Devi, pronouncing verdict in a batch of writ petitions filed by former sarpanches of six different village panchayats of the State, instructed the government to prepare the lists of voters and reservations for different categories like women and Backward Classes within a month from the date of receiving the judgement copy. The judge also directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to convene the polls to local bodies within two months of receiving all the details pertaining to voters list and reservations.
The court mandated that the state government and the State Election Commission (SEC) complete the elections by September 30, rejecting claims that additional time was needed to initiate the election process.
The judge emphasized the necessity of completing the division of wards within 30 days and ensuring the election process is finalized by the stipulated date.
The Court also directed the state government to provide the list of voters to the SEC along with the particulars of modified wards in line with the delimitation exercise within a month. Top officials said that government was waiting for a reply from the Governor's office on the pending approval of the ordinance, after the President had put the state's request to give her assent to two acts regarding the enhancement of BC quota in cold storage. The government was in dilemma as the deadline set by the court was over.
'The state government is not ready to go for elections to local bodies without the enhancement of the BC quota. The only option is to seek the Court's intervention and direct the constitutional functionaries mainly the President and Governor to take a call on the pending approval of bills and ordinance', sources said. So, legal experts have been requested to explore options to resolve the BC quota issue with the intervention of the judiciary to help hold the panchayat elections by September end.
Sources said that the State Advocate General will apprise the High Court of the status of the bills and seek some more time for the conduct of elections to local bodies. The issue will be discussed in the upcoming Cabinet meeting. The Cabinet will take a call on whether the government should concur with the SEC to hold the elections without enhancing BC quota or launch a fight against the Centre for its delaying tactics in the approval of ordinance providing 42 per cent quota for BCs.
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