The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court on Wednesday directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to clarify the status of the proposed panchayat election schedule and sought the report of the Backward Classes Commission on the matter.
Court's Directive
A vacation bench comprising Justice Shekhar B. Saraf and Justice AK Chaudhary passed the order while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the state government's decision to appoint outgoing gram pradhans (village heads) as administrators after the expiry of their tenure on May 26. The next hearing in the case has been scheduled for July 10.
PIL's Contentions
The PIL argued that under the Uttar Pradesh Panchayat Raj Act, the tenure of a gram pradhan is limited to five years. By failing to conduct panchayat elections on time and subsequently appointing the outgoing pradhans as administrators, the government has effectively extended their tenure for an indefinite period, which is contrary to the law. The petitioner contended that this practice undermines democratic principles and violates the statutory provisions governing local self-governance.
Key Demands
- The court has sought a detailed report from the Backward Classes Commission regarding the reservation of seats for backward classes in the panchayat elections.
- The SEC has been directed to provide a clear timeline for the conduct of the elections, which were due before the expiry of the previous panchayat bodies' term.
The High Court's intervention comes amid growing concerns over the delay in holding panchayat elections in Uttar Pradesh. The state government has yet to announce a fresh schedule for the polls, which were originally slated to be completed before May 26. The court's order is seen as a significant step towards ensuring timely elections and upholding the rule of law in local governance.
