THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government has decided to file an appeal against the High Court’s decision to quash its notification forming new panchayats bifurcating areas or parts of the existing villages without prior notification by the Governor.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told reporters here after a high- level committee meeting with the State Election Commission officials that the government will file the appeal on Wednesday.
He said the elections to the local bodies would take place as per schedule. Earlier, Advocate-General K. P. Dandapani had advised that the government can go in appeal against the High Court’s verdict.
However, the Muslim League has reportedly put pressure on the government to go for the local body elections as per the new delimitation proposals and not as per the existing wards which came into being on Nov 1, 2010.
Mr Chandy said another high-level meeting will be convened within the next 15 days. He also said there was no way other than going in an appeal.
“The government will file the appeal on Wednesday. The next high-level meeting will take place within 15 days to decide on the dates of the local body elections. There has been no difference of opinion in holding the elections. Instead, only legal issues are there which would be tackled in due course,” he said.
Panchayat Minister Dr. M. K. Muneer said that during the previous local body elections, wards were delimited without considering the then census report.
State Election Commissioner K. Sasidharan Nair maintained in the meeting that elections can be held only during December which was objected to by Mr Chandy and Muslim League leaders.
He had earlier written to Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson and met Governor P. Sathasivam expressing the commission’s inability to conduct the elections as per schedule.
