Jaipur, Jul 20 A division bench of the Rajasthan High Court on Monday paved the way for holding panchayat and local bodies elections in the state.
The bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Justice Sanjeet Purohit disapproved the state's proposal to hold the elections after the OBC Political Reservation Commission's report.
The bench directed the election to be declared and held for local bodies in mid-August irrespective of the commission making its recommendations or not.
During the hearing, the state government presented the complete election roadmap before the high court.
According to the government's affidavit, it was requested that the election process should commence in August. The state government suggested that once the OBC Commission submit its report, it shall be followed by the reservation draw (lottery), after which the State Election Commission will conduct the elections within 90 days, firstly for the urban bodies and thereafter for the panchayats.
The high court disapproved the proposed schedule and directed that elections be declared by August 13 irrespective of the OBC Commission submitting that voting for the Panchayat and urban local body elections could begin in the last week of August, be conducted in different phases and completed by November 15.
The order came on the petition filed by former MLA Snayam Lodha, who said, "We have been fighting the matter in the court for the past several months. It is unfortunate that the court has to intervene in all matters. Elections are a routine process and should have been held timely."
