Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Aug 9: Gulbarga bench of the state high court, through an order issued on Wednesday August 8, stayed elections to municipalities which have not completed their full term of five years.

The term of Afzalpur municipality in the district will end in March 2019. But the election commission has made preparations to hold election to this municipality along with other urban local bodies on August 28. All the current municipal councillors of Afzalpur had approached the high court, arguing that holding of election much ahead of the scheduled terms results in curtailing of their rights they enjoy being people's representatives.

Justice Satyanarayana Rao, who heard the application on Wednesday, opined that holding of elections prematurely to municipalities including Afzalpur which have not yet completed their terms, would result in injustice to elected members. This situation is not at all acceptable, he opined. He also ordered issuance of notice to the election commission and posted the case for next hearing on August 14.

In the meanwhile, the judge ordered the deputy commissioner of Kalaburagi district, who is district electoral officer, not to accept nomination papers for the said municipality. The court also sought confirmation from the commission that it will not accept any nominations for municipalities that have not completed their full terms.

In the meantime, the election commission has directed director general of police not to transfer any of the officials as election for urban local bodies has been announced. It said that this is necessary to hold the election to 105 urban local bodies peacefully and properly.