Will decide on GP election dates by October, poll panel tells HC

The State Election Commission on Thursday submitted to the High Court that it will take a call on the dates for the elections to gram panchayats in the state by the first week of October 2020. The counsel representing the commission stated that the preparation of the electoral lists for the 5,800-gram panchayats was underway.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Nataraj Rangaswamy heard the petition filed by Congress MLC K C Kondaiah and others. The petition had challenged the constitutional validity of the May 28, 2020, notification issued by the State Election Commission, temporarily postponing the elections to gram panchayats.

The counsel appearing for the commission submitted that the reservation list will be notified by July 25. He further stated that the voter lists will be prepared by September and that the commission will announce the dates for the elections by the first week of October 2020. The bench posted the further hearing to July 28.