THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government decision to appeal against the High Court verdict quashing the notifications creating new panchayats, apparently under pressure from the Muslim League, in all probability would delay the local body elections. The League was adamant in going for elections as per the newly-constituted local bodies proposed after the delimitation process. Sensing a move to postpone the elections in the name of legal proceedings, the Left parties are gearing up to launch major agitation.
The CPM state secretariat to meet on Wednesday, in the presence of politburo member S Ramachandran Pillai, is expected to formulate the action plan for the agitation.
“The decision to go for appeal is aimed at delaying the local body polls, which is against the constitutional obligation of conducting the elections on time. When there was a similar situation in Karnataka - when the elections to the Bangalore Corporation was delayed, finally the Supreme Court intervened. Postponing the local body polls is against the constitutional norms. The party state secretariat would finalise the protests soon,” CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told ‘Express’.
The Left parties think the government move is to take over the administration of local bodies by delaying the polls. “As per the schedule, the new committees should assume office by November 1. Any delay would lead to administrators taking charge. It should be suspected whether such a move is planned,” sources said.
Earlier in the day, CPM politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan had warned that any attempt to delay the polls would be met with stiff opposition from the Left. The High Court with its verdict against the delimitation of certain panchayats and the State Election Commission with its decision to conduct the polls as per schedule, have made their stands clear. Now, the government is making a desperate attempt to delay the polls, he alleged.
The UDF was under pressure after internal bickering within the front regarding the polls.