Talks to end local poll impasse stuck

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The meeting between government and State Election Commission to end the impasse over local bodies poll ended inconclusively here on Monday with both the sides sticking to their respective positions.

However, in a bid to find a solution the government decided to apprise High Court of the need for holding elections to the newly constituted 28 municipalities and Kannur corporation when the case comes up for hearing on September 3.

Sources said the SEC is unlikely to oppose the government's arguments in court. After the meeting,  Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told reporters that while the government was for holding elections to the new municipalities and corporation, the SEC had pointed out certain practical difficulties.

“Under these circumstances the government will bring the matter before the High Court when the case comes up on September 3. Further action will be taken on the basis of the court decision,” he said .

The chief minister said that the government would bring the matter to the court’s notice since it had accepted the 28 municipalities and Kannur corporation as duly constituted.

“We would seek the court’s direction on what needs to be done in the case of these newly constituted local bodies which have already been approved,” he added.

He said both the government and SEC were of the view that local bodies poll should not get delayed further.

Sources said the SEC pointed out that it would take more than two months for completing the entire exercise of delimitation.

Moreover if the exercise is undertaken then it would be difficult to comply with the constitutional responsibility of putting in place governing councils in local bodies by November 1, 2015.

The SEC reiterated that at this stage it would have to go by the 1.11.2010 delimitation to discharge the constitutional obligation of having governing councils by November 2015.

According to sources, the SEC would not oppose the government in the court and would abide by the verdict on September 3. If the court directed to hold the polls, it would comply with the direction.

Earlier at the meeting, Industry Minister P K Kunhalikutty and State Election Commissioner K Sasidharan Nair had heated exchanges.

The minister reportedly told the Commissioner that if the latter continued with this attitude he might have to go out of office before the local bodies poll. To this the Commissioner said he was ready to leave any time.