Himachal moves SC against HC order on local body polls

The state government has moved the Supreme Court against the High Court’s decision to hold elections to panchayati raj institutions (PRIs) and urban local bodies (ULBs) before April 30. A special leave petition has been filed in this regard by Principal Secretary Urban Development, Secretary Panchayati Raj and the Chief Secretary. Now, the polls to the PRIs and ULBs have come under the cloud of uncertainty.

The elections to PRIs and over 70 ULBs were due before March 31, but the matter ended up in High Court after a PIL was filed by some individuals. The High Court ordered to conduct the elections before April 30, which has now been challenged by the state government.

Meanwhile, the BJP has slammed the government for moving the Supreme Court. Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said the Congress was running away from elections due to its plummeting popularity. Thakur asked why the Chief Minister and his Ministers kept saying that elections would be held on time when they were questioned about the delay. “The Congress, which keeps raising hue and cry about democracy and constitution, is itself trampling upon democracy and constitution,” said Thakur.

The Leader of Opposition said even though the government keeps complaining that it is not receiving cooperation from the Centre, it is blocking the very avenues through which it could receive substantial support from the Centre. “If there are no elected local bodies, how will development take place? How will the hundreds of schemes being run by the Centre be implemented? Without elected representatives, how will the Union Government schemes reach the grassroots,” asked Thakur.