Jharkhand High Court Orders Municipal Elections in Four Months
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Synopsis
The Jharkhand High Court has mandated the state government to conduct municipal elections within four months, following a contempt petition from former councillor Roshni Khalkho. This order highlights concerns over delayed elections resulting from reservation issues.
Key Takeaways
- Jharkhand High Court directs elections.
- Order issued by Justice Ananda Sen.
- Contempt petition filed by Roshni Khalkho.
- State government accused of delaying elections.
- Municipal body tenures expired in April 2023.
Ranchi, Jan 16 (NationPress) The Jharkhand High Court has instructed the state government headed by Hemant Soren to organize municipal elections within a span of four months. This decision was made by the bench of Justice Ananda Sen during a session on Thursday, which was prompted by a contempt petition submitted by the outgoing Ranchi Municipal Corporation councillor, Roshni Khalkho, along with others.
During the proceedings on Thursday, State Chief Secretary Alka Tiwari and Urban Development Secretary Sunil Kumar were present in court.
The court expressed its discontent regarding the non-adherence to its prior directive issued on January 4, 2024, which required the declaration of municipal election dates within three weeks.
In defense, the state government indicated that the delay was due to pending reservations for backward classes in municipal bodies.
Court officials updated that the triple-test procedure to ascertain the reservation percentage is nearly finalized at the district level, with only a few districts remaining.
Additionally, they mentioned that the Election Commission of India has not yet provided the voter list, causing further postponement of the elections.
The petitioners contended that municipal elections could still take place without the completion of the triple-test process. They referenced a prior ruling by the Supreme Court, which established that elections should not be delayed solely for determining reservation percentages.
The petitioners accused the state government of deliberately hindering the electoral process and called for contempt actions against it.
On January 13, the High Court voiced its strong dissatisfaction with the government's inability to conduct municipal elections, labeling it a potential contempt issue. The court emphasized that the ongoing triple-test process for OBC reservation cannot be a valid reason to postpone elections.
The tenure of all municipal bodies in Jharkhand expired in April 2023. According to regulations, elections for the new term should have been held by April 27, 2023. However, the elections remain outstanding, prompting the need for judicial intervention.
