E-Paper
Punjab mulls knocking SC doors against HC orders on civic body polls
The high court on October 19 directed the Punjab govt to declare poll schedule for 5 MCs and 42 municipal councils/nagar panchayats within 15 days; the elections for the municipal corporations of Amritsar, Patiala, Jalandhar, Phagwara and Ludhiana have been pending for the last two years.
The Punjab government is mulling to move the Supreme Court against the Punjab and Haryana high court’s October 19 order, directing it to declare the poll schedule for five municipal corporations (MCs) and 42 municipal councils/nagar panchayats within 15 days.
The elections for the municipal corporations of Amritsar, Patiala, Jalandhar, Phagwara and Ludhiana have been pending for the last two years.
Following the high court’s directive, the chief minister was given on file to decide on implementing the order and issuing a notification. However, as per sources, the government is consulting top lawyers on the possibility of challenging the high court order.
“The decision on whether to proceed with the election notification or approach the apex court will be taken by the chief minister, most likely next week,” CMO officials confirmed.
When contacted, local bodies minister Dr Ravjot Singh said the CM must make the political decision to hold elections. “The possibility of approaching the SC has been discussed within the department. The department is required to provide all possible options and potential consequences, including seeking the SC’s intervention,” the local bodies minister said.
Why the delay
An official explained that leaders are trying to avoid an overlap of the MC polls with the upcoming assembly bypolls to four segments -- Gidderbaha, Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal and Barnala. The government also wants time to initiate development projects, which had been stalled due to the imposition of the model code of conduct in wake of back-to-back elections this year: Lok Sabha, Jalandhar byelections and the upcoming assembly bypolls.
As per sources, some leaders are also hesitant about holding the MC elections as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) faced significant losses in urban areas during the Lok Sabha elections.
With elections imminent, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann recently reviewed the performance of municipal corporations, holding meetings with various MC commissioners and discussing local issues such as road conditions, potable water supply, sewerage, health and sanitation, streetlights, and other civic amenities. Local government minister Dr Ravjot Singh, chief secretary KAP Sinha, additional chief secretary for local government Tejveer Singh, and director general of police Gaurav Yadav, were present in these meetings.
