Within hours of the Assembly passing a unanimous resolution appealing to the State Election Commission (SEC) to defer the elections to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), the Commission has decided to hold elections as per the 2001 census.
However, the Commission sent the directive to all DCs, sources in SEC said. The Commission has also asked the district administration to hold elections as per the reservation in the 2007 elections.
The state government has delayed submitting the final list of reservation of constituencies to the 208 ULBs. The reason is said to be that political parties, including the ruling BJP, are not willing to go for elections before the Assembly polls that are likely to be held in April.
Leaders on Assembly floor show unity
Displaying a rare picture of cooperartion in the floor of the Assembly, all political parties joined hands and passed a unanimous resolution, appealing to the State Election Commission to postpone the elections, in order to consider the 2011 census data in the final reservation list of wards, here on Tuesday.
Moving the resolution, independent MLA Gulihatti Shekhar highlighted the need for the deferment of the ULBs elections for which the State Election Commission (SEC) is all set to announce calendar of events following the directions of the Supreme Court.The parties, including the ruling BJP, stated that if the elections are to be held on the basis of the 2001 census data, then SC/ST, OBC and women would be deprived of getting the 50 per cent reservation of wards to contest.Supporting the resolution, former urban development minister and Congress leader D K Shivakumar said that great injustice will be done if the elections are held in the 2007 format.
Appealing to Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar to oppose the SEC’s decision to announce the elections, he said: “We are with you in case you have to go to jail in this matter.”
Deputy leader of the Opposition T B Jayachandra criticised the SEC for showing undue interest in holding the elections and requested the state government to seek judicial remedy against the move.
Congress member Tanvir Sait and JD(S) member Kashampur also supported the resolution.
Minister for Municipal Administration, Balachandra Jarkiholi explained the measures taken by the state government, including filing of the petition before the Supreme Court.
“We have done our best to prevent the SEC from holding the elections on the 2001 census data in providing reservation,” he said.
He expressed confidence that the SEC would take note of the sentiments of the members of the House. It may be recalled that the SC recently while disposing of the PIL submitted by the state government seeking a stay on the High Court direction to hold the elections to the ULBs, had turned down the government’s plea and ordered SEC to conduct the elections without delay.