Delay in civic polls: Ordinance challenged

A petition has challenged the ordinance issued by the state government earlier this week to put off elections for local bodies by a couple of months.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Jayant Patel and Justice N V Anjaria is likely to hear on Friday morning the case, which has been filed by Virendrasinh Mafaji Vaghela and Jagdish Bhatt from Gandhinagar. Congress party leader advocate Shaktisinh Gohil represents the petitioners in this case.

Sources said the petitioners questioned the very basis of the ordinance that the government has an apprehension that voters will not be allowed to vote freely and fairly looking at the ongoing Patidar reservation stir.

Governor O P Kohli issued the ordinance calling for appointment of administrators in civic bodies because the government felt it would not be possible to hold elections and constitute the bodies in municipal corporations, municipalities and panchayats on account of the present disturbances.

The Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee took strong exception to this ordinance on the grounds that such provisions can be effected only in case of a natural calamity as per the law. The government, on the other hand, cited provisions of the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation Act and maintained that elections can be postponed beyond the local body’s term during times of communal disturbances and riots.

The government’s decision to postpone elections is also criticized by the opposition, who said that the agitating Patidars are BJP supporters and due to their aggressive stance, the government felt that the ruling party would be defeated if elections are held now. The Congress has said that it would also move court.

The elections were due in October in six municipal corporations, 253 municipalities, 208 taluka panchayats and 26 district panchayats.

Meanwhile, Congress workers moved the Supreme Court last month and obtained a stay on delimitation in the municipal corporation elections. They opposed the election of multiple councilors in one ward, and insisted that only one councilor be elected per ward.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Delay-in-civic-polls-Ordinance-challenged/articleshow/49279820.cms