SEC says Uttarakhand govt not serious about local polls

The Uttarakhand Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) found itself in an awkward situation after the State Election Commissioner accused it of not being serious about holding civic body polls in the state on time. The State Election Commission on Wednesday approached the Nainital High Court against the state government for its failure to notify the delimitation of local bodies and reservations of seats on time. The court has sought a response from the government by April 11 .

State Election Commissioner Subardhan, briefing media persons on Wednesday, charged that the state government was not all serious about holding civic body elections in the state. He said that he had been approaching the state government including Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat to hold discussions on the preparations for the civic body elections but to no avail. He stated that he had been requesting for a meeting with the Chief Minister since September 2017 but he was not given time to meet him.

Subardhan said that the state government did not complete the delimitation and reservation process despite repeated reminders, as a result of which the elections cannot be held before May 3, the stipulated date when the term of the civic body expires.

On the issue of holding elections through EVM machines, Subardhan alleged that the state government has not provided money to buy EVM or VVPAT machines for the elections. “The state election commission require ₹17 crore for buying EVMs and VVPAT machines but not even 17 paise has been given to us,” he remarked. Subardhan said that after exhausting all options, the Commission has approached the High Court to take a decision on the matter.

Taken aback by the State Election Commission’s stand, Uttarakhand Urban Development Minister and official spokesperson of the state government Madan Kaushik, at a hurriedly-called press briefing on Wednesday, said the state was committed to holding elections and the delay was only due to court cases regarding delimitation. The High Court had earlier asked the state government to hold public hearing in the areas afresh which were to be included in the urban civic bodies. The villagers had opposed the state government’s move to include rural areas on the peripheries of towns and cities in the civic body elections.

Sanjay Bhatt, the counsel for the State Election commission, in his petition in the High Court, argued that there was no provision in the Constitution to appoint an administrator after the expiry of the term of municipal civic bodies nor was there any provision for extension of term of existing municipal bodies.

Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia of Nainital High Court issued notice to the Uttarakhand government to file its response by April 11.