Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (MS)
Bengaluru, May 31: The state Congress party has decided to approach the court challenging the decision of state election commission (EC) to postpone the gram panchayat elections.
The EC on May 28 postponed elections to gram panchayats citing 'exceptional circumstances' prevailing in Karnataka following the coronavirus pandemic situation. Elections to as many as 5,800 GPs scheduled to be held by next month with the ending of their terms have been put off, and fresh dates are yet to be announced.
Congress will now be seeking the advise of experts in this matter and approach the court. Congress has also accused the state EC of playing to the tunes of the state BJP government.
Former chief minister and leader of opposition Siddaramaiah has already made serious allegation against the EC saying that it is acting under pressure from the state government. He has also said that this is the beginning of a bad tradition and that postponing of gram panchayat elections is violation of Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act of 1993.
According to Section 8 of Panchayat Raj Act 1993, the administrative committee cannot be formed for gram panchayats without holding elections. The Congress is of the opinion that it will bring to the notice of the court this particular violation. The Congress leadership has expressed confidence that the court would rule in its favour.
Both the Congress and JD(S) have been demanding that instead of appointing administrators to run the GPs during the present lockdown situation, it would be advisable to continue the terms of the existing bodies until fresh elections could be held as the elected representatives would be in a better position to interact with the people.