Punjab and Haryana High Court flays delay in municipal elections, seeks response from Punjab
PTC Web Desk: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has expressed strong disapproval of the Punjab Government's alleged failure to conduct municipal corporation and municipal council elections on time. A Bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Anil Khetrapal questioned the state government on Tuesday regarding the delay in holding the elections, despite the expiration of the councils' terms. The court has directed the Principal Secretary of the Punjab Local Bodies Department to submit a detailed response by September 23.
The matter came to light through a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Malerkotla resident Beant Singh, who pointed out that the terms of 42 municipal councils in Punjab had expired several months ago. In fact, some councils have been without elections for over two years. The petitioner highlighted that developmental activities in various regions of the state have come to a standstill due to the absence of elected bodies.
The court was informed that the Local Bodies Department had issued a notification on August 1, 2023, proposing to hold the elections on November 1. However, no elections have taken place so far. The petitioner further stated that a legal notice was sent to the government on July 5, seeking clarity on the matter, but no response was received.
The petition urged the court to direct the Punjab Government to conduct elections in a timely manner, as per the constitutional mandate, ensuring that new municipal bodies are elected before the expiration of the current councils' terms.
- With inputs from our correspondent
