The Allahabad high court on Wednesday directed the State Election Commission to hold panchayati raj elections in Uttar Pradesh within three months.
The petitioners had also challenged the state government’s decision to appoint administrators following the expiry of the tenure of the pradhans.
A bench comprising justices Ajit Kumar and Garima Prashad passed the order on a bunch of petitions, seeking a direction to the State Election Commission to place on record a detailed time-bound schedule for completion of the panchayat election process well before the expiry of the district panchayats’ tenure.
The government contended that the election of gram pradhans and members of gram panchayats cannot be held until the exercise is completed. Till date, the OBC Commission has not submitted its report. The Opposition Congress and the Samajwadi Party also welcomed the court order while accusing the ruling BJP of delaying the polls for fear of defeat.
“As BJP feared that public discontent in rural areas could manifest against the party in the polls, potentially impacting the upcoming assembly elections, it was delaying the panchayat elections,” UP Congress president Aradhana Mishra ‘Mona’ said. The bench on Wednesday directed that the election be held within three months with the completion of the reservation exercise.
