ULB polls: HC directs govt to notify reservation by Nov 26

The bench passed this order in the suo motu petition on the delay in conducting elections to ULBs

The high court on Wednesday directed the state government to issue ward-wise reservation notification for 56 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) by November 26.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasti and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum passed this order in the suo motu petition on the delay in conducting elections to ULBs. The suo motu petition was registered considering the mandatory requirement to hold elections to ULBs under Article 243U of the Constitution.

During the hearing in the morning session, the state government sought time to issue the reservation notifications. Senior counsel appearing for the State Election Commission (SEC) informed the court that elections to some local bodies have not been held since 2018.

The bench orally said if the state government was not able to conduct the elections it has to be held as incompetent and directed a senior officer to be present in the afternoon.

“This is not the way that you people should work. You are not concerned with constituting the local bodies. Is this the work of the court to hold the elections in time? Are we supposed to supervise and monitor timely elections to the local bodies?” the bench asked the state
government.

Additional Chief Secretary to the Urban Development Department Rakesh Singh appeared before the court and Additional Advocate General submitted an affidavit. The government submitted that notification has been finalized insofar as 10 local bodies and sought seven working days to complete the with regards to the remaining local bodies.

The bench directed the state government to complete the exercise by November 26.

“Thereafter, the State Election Commission shall notify the local body elections and issue the election schedule as informed to the court. The elections to the local bodies shall be completed by December 30, 2021,” the bench said.

The SEC submitted a tentative calendar before the court indicating that the entire process will be completed by December 30 if the reservation list is finalized as assured by the state government.

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