Case posted tomorrow for interim order
Kerala High Court
Kochi: The State Election Commission on Tuesday came down heavily on the state government at Kerala High Court for failing to complete the delimitation process on time.
The division bench comprising Chief Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice A.M. Shaffique, meanwhile, posted the case to Thursday to pass an interim order on the state's plea to stay the single bench order quashing the delimitation process. The bench orally observed that it is for the Election Commission to conduct the elections.
The State Election Commission argued that in 2012 itself, it had asked the state to take steps to complete the delimitation process as soon as possible, but the state failed to comply with the order.
The commission was committed to holding the elections to the local bodies before October 30. However, the government had not performed its duties.
According to the election commission, if the situation persists, it would be difficult to conduct the local body elections on time.
The court said it was considering only the legality of the delimitation process. The state had formed 69 new grama panchayats and 32 new municipalities.
Of them, four municipalities were formed by taking out portions of the existing municipal corporations of Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode.
The state contended that if the process is withheld, the entire election process will be further delayed. Advocate-General K.P. Dandapani argued to stay the single bench order.
The balance of convenience is in favour of the state government as any delay in completing the election process would ultimately defeat the appeal itself.
The government was prepared to provide 50 or more additional employees or required number together with the infrastructure facilities for the delimitation commission and the Election Commission for completing the election process.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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