Poll panel urged to defer civic polls till SC decision

In an attempt to postpone the elections to urban local bodies (ULBs), the State government on Monday urged the State Election Commission (SEC) to defer initiating the process of conducting the polls until the Supreme Court clears its review petition.

The emergency Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar took the decision, which was later communicated to the SEC.

The apex court had recently cleared the decks for holding the elections immediately, refusing to direct the SEC to defer the elections till the 2011 population census figures are published. The court had also directed the State government to furnish the final list of ward reservations to the SEC within two days.

The government has subsequently filed a review petition before the SC, seeking 15 days time. 

Chief Secretary S V Ranganath is learnt to have informed the Cabinet that urging the SEC to defer the polls will amount to contempt of court and advised it to pave the way for the polls as per the SC judgment. But the Cabinet did not heed his advice.

All political parties are against holding the ULB polls ahead of the Assembly elections.
For, they fear the ULB polls will lead to dissident activities within the party, which, in turn, will have an adverse impact on their prospects in the crucial Assembly elections.

It is learnt that floor leaders of both Opposition parties, the Congress and the JD(S), have assured the government in the Business Advisory Committee meeting held in Vidhana Soudha that they will extend their support for any initiative taken to stall the ULB polls.

But the government is seeking the deferment on the grounds that SCs, STs and OBCs will be deprived of reservation quota if the polls are held as per the 2001 census figures.
The number of reserved seats for these communities will increase if the 2011 census figures are taken into consideration. But the 2011 census figures are scheduled to be finalised only in April this year.

Sub-committee

The Cabinet has also decided to explore the possibility of passing a resolution in the Assembly on deferring the polls and bringing the same to the notice of the Supreme Court. A Cabinet sub-committee comprising Minister for Municipal Administration Balachandra Jharkiholi, Law Minister S Suresh Kumar, Kannada and Culture Minister Govind Karjol and others, has been set up to consult legal experts in this regard and prepare a draft resolution, sources said.