AMN /
Gujarat High Court WEDNESDAY quashed an ordinance pertaining to delay the local body polls for three months. A division bench of acting Chief Justice Jayant Patel and Justice N.V.Anjaria termed the ordinance as unconstitutional.
Criticising the state Election Commission for blindly toeing government’s line to delay local body polls, the High Court observed that there is no provision of appointing administrators in Panchayats. The court asked the Gujarat State Election Commission to start the procedure to hold local body polls.
The High Court verdict came following a petition filed by Vice President of Gandhinagar District Panchayat Virendra Vaghela and a resident of Umrada taluka panchayat of Bhavnagar district Jagdish Bhatt through their advocate and Gujarat Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil. Our Ahmedabad correspondent reports that State Election Commission had postponed the various local bodies’ polls in the state citing law and order situation due to quota agitation by Patidar community.
Earlier, State Government had issued an ordinance by which these polls could be delayed on the grounds of law and order. Elections of six municipal corporations, 56 municipalities, 230 taluka panchayats and 31 district panchayats were expected to be held between October and November this year following expiry of its term.