Elections to zilla, taluk panchayats unlikely anytime soon: Eshwarappa

The elections were not held in time as the government constituted a delimitation commission to redraw panchayat boundaries

Karnataka Rural Development & Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Minister K S Eshwarappa on Friday said elections to the zilla and taluk panchayats are likely to be delayed further due to litigation on reservation in local bodies.

“I doubt that ZP-TP elections will be held anytime soon as there’s a stay order by the Supreme Court on providing separate reservation for backward classes in local bodies,” Eshwarappa told reporters.

The ZP-TP elections were due in May-June this year. They were not held in time as the government constituted a delimitation commission to redraw panchayat boundaries.

“The Supreme Court has said recently that people belonging to the backward classes also come under the general category. The court has informed that data must be provided on population and political representation of the backward classes in order to provide reservation in local bodies. This may make it difficult to conduct elections,” he said.

“The government was preparing to hold elections. However, the SC order is keeping us from going ahead. Perhaps, it’ll be difficult to conduct the elections under this government’s tenure,” he said, adding that the matter needs to be discussed with all parties and legal experts.

Karnataka has 31 zilla panchayats under which there are 232 taluk panchayats, covering 30,000 villages.

‘Don’t rake it up’

After courting controversy by claiming that the saffron flag (Bhagwa) could replace the tricolour in the future, Eshwarappa on Friday declined to comment on this. He said he will reply separately to Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah who called him “nalayak” (unfit). “I won’t speak about the national flag. Everything is peaceful now. Please don’t rake it up,” he said.

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