BANGALORE: The High Court on Friday stayed the government’s notification on reserving the posts of president and vice-President in the zilla panchayats. With an interim order of the court, elections to the posts of president and vice-president have been stalled.
While hearing a batch of petitions filed by the ZP members, Justice Venugopala Gowda issued stay of government notification dated May 4, 2009. The stay order will not operate on Kolar and Chikballapur zilla panchayats as in both the ZPs elections are already over. The court has observed that the matter requires to be considered in detail as it involves constitutional issues. While adjourning the hearing to May 25, the court has issued notice to all Zilla Panchayats.
Under section 177 of Panchayat Raj Act, the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj department had published the reservation list on May 4. The petitioners have argued that the government has reserved the post of president to the Tumkur ZP for Scheduled Tribe (woman), though in the previous term it was reserved for Scheduled Caste.
The petitioners contended that as per rules, reservation should not be repeated to the same category on the next term and while reserving the posts the government has not considered the roster system.