Jaipur, July 20 (IANS). The Rajasthan government has presented the roadmap for the long pending Panchayat and municipal elections before the High Court. The High Court had asked the government to give a clear deadline for holding elections.
According to the schedule given by the government, the election process will start from August. First of all, notification for municipal elections will be issued on August 17. After this, notification of Panchayat elections will be issued on 23 September. The government told the High Court that first municipal elections would be held, then Panchayat elections.
During the hearing, the government also told that following the instructions of the High Court on July 16, a high-level meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary on July 19. Officials of State Election Commission, OBC Commission, Local Self Government Department and Panchayati Raj Department participated in this meeting.
It was decided in the meeting that the OBC Commission would submit its report by August 5. After this, the lottery process for reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes and women will be completed by August 15. After this the State Election Commission will start the election process.
The High Court had sought not just assurance from the government but also a fixed schedule for the elections. In response to this, the government submitted this complete schedule to the court. According to the government, the State Election Commission will conduct the elections within 90 days after the completion of the reservation process.
If the High Court approves this proposed schedule, then the Panchayat and municipal elections will be conducted in several phases and the voting process is likely to be completed by November 15.
This matter reached the High Court when separate public interest litigations were filed regarding the delay in Panchayat and municipal elections.
Girraj Singh Devanda had filed a petition against the delay in Panchayat elections, while former MLA Sanyam Lodha had approached the High Court regarding the delay in municipal elections.
The High Court is continuously monitoring this matter, so that elections can be conducted on time as per the Constitution.
–IANS
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