Parties gear up for urban local body elections in Uttarakhand after HC directive
On October 9, the high court had directed that the process for elections to local bodies be started within a week. Urban local bodies include municipal corporations, municipalities and nagar panchayats. The state has 8 municipal corporations .
After the Uttarakhand high court’s directive, the state government and parties have geared up for urban local body elections though the state election commission has not announced poll dates.
“Local body elections will be held in Uttarakhand in November and a notification will be issued soon,” government spokesperson Madan Kaushik said.
On October 9, the high court had directed that the process for elections to local bodies be started within a week. Urban local bodies include municipal corporations, municipalities and nagar panchayats. The state has 8 municipal corporations -- Dehradun, Haridwar, Haldwani, Roorkie, Rudrapur, Kashipur, Rishikesh and Kotdwar. Officials said elections to 84 local bodies will be held in the first phase; the other three civic bodies will go to polls later after issues related to reservation are settled.
The state election commission had filed a petition in the high court on April 4 for conducting early elections to local bodies. The state government told HC that they would complete the process for delimitation and reservation on May 12. The high court said the elections would be held in November.
Finance minister Prakash Pant said the process is on for holding of elections. “The BJP will start giving tickets soon, going by the merit of an individual.”
Congress state general secretary Khajan Pandey said, “Ticket distribution will be fair and eligible candidates can give their representation.”
73 debarred in Nainital
As many as 73 people from Nainital district have been debarred from contesting local body elections for 6 years as they had not provided details of their expenditure in 2013 polls. BS Karki, assistant election officer of Nainital, said, “These people had been served notices to give details of their expenditure, but they have not replied. Hence they have been debarred for 6 years from contesting local body elections.” Prabhat Kumar Singh, state deputy election commissioner, said, “The candidates have been debarred for 6 years and they cannot participate in any election for period.”
Sharmila Salim, who unsuccessfully fought for the post of Bhowali Nagar Palika chairperson in 2013 said, “She had not given expenditure details as she is fed up with the political process. Only people with muscle and money power can win elections.”
Aziz Khan from Ramnagar said, “I could not submit expenditure details on time. I will fight elections after six years when as I will be eligible.”
Deepa Devi from Kaladhungi said, “I do not wish to contest again; my husband is handicapped and he was not able to submit the details as he had to go to Nainital for that purpose.”
Naeem Ahmed from Kaladhungi said, “The election commission is not a setback for me. My father Zahoor Ahmed was the first Nagar Panchayat chairman of Kaladhungi in 1980s.”