Rajasthan HC tells State Election Commission to take immediate steps to hold municipality polls

Jaipur, Sep 20 (PTI) The Rajasthan High Court has pulled up the State Election Commission for the prolonged postponement of municipality elections, and directed it to take immediate steps to hold the polls.

A single-judge bench of Justice Anoop Dhand observed that the Election Commission cannot be allowed to remain a "silent spectator" by shutting its eyes to the delay, which, the court said, is causing a derailment of local self-governance and is against the constitutional mandate.

The court noted that terms of several urban local bodies in the state have already expired, but elections have not been conducted despite the constitutional requirement of holding them within six months. The delay, it said, was undermining the functioning of democratic institutions at the grassroots.

The bench directed the State Election Commission to take appropriate measures and ensure the timely conduct of the pending municipality elections. PTI COR ABS MNK MNK