J’khand HC pulls up state govt over delay in municipal elections

Ranchi, Sep 2 (PTI) The Jharkhand High Court on Tuesday pulled up the government for not holding municipal elections for a long time in the state.

Justice Ananda Sen was hearing a contempt petition filed by former Ranchi ward councillor Roshni Khalko against the government for not conducting the civic body elections in time and directed officers concerned to file a response to the plea.

The municipal elections have not been conducted since June 2020 in 12 urban local bodies (ULBs), including Deoghar and Dhanbad municipal corporations, and since April 2023 in several other civic bodies, including Ranchi Municipal Corporation.

Chief Secretary Alka Tiwari and Urban Development Department secretary Sunil Kumar were present in the court during the hearing.

The court directed the officers concerned to file a response in the matter and asked them to comply with the order.

The case will again be heard on September 10.

The high court had directed the government on January 4 last year to ensure that municipal elections are conducted within three weeks. Despite the order of the high court, the government has failed to meet the deadline.

The municipal elections have not been conducted, after which the contempt petition was filed.

The last elections were conducted in April 2018 in several ULBs, and the term of the councillors had lapsed in 2023.

The Municipal Act provides for conducting elections for the appointment of candidates to different posts every five years by the state government.

The government has not taken steps to issue a notification for conducting the elections, which has affected the implementation and execution of different welfare schemes for the masses through the civic bodies, Khalko had alleged in her petition. PTI CORR SAN BDC