SC slams Maharashtra poll panel for ‘inaction and incompetence'

NEW DELHI: Extending the Sept 30 deadline for completion of the Maharashtra local body elections by four months to Jan 31 next year, Supreme Court on Tuesday upbraided the state election commission (SEC) for its inability to complete the delimitation process and requisition adequate number of EVMs and poll staff.

Though it acceded to the SEC's request for extension of deadline for completion of elections to zilla parishads, panchayat samities and municipalities, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi said four months were given to you by the court on May 6, and the SEC is coming with a bunch of excuses 10 days after the expiry of deadline seeking more time.


The SEC said it has completed the delimitation exercise in the zilla parishads and panchayat samilities and the process is ongoing for municipalities. It said that it has around 60,000 EVMs and would require 50,000 more from the Election Commission. The coming festive season and board examinations in March next year would make it difficult to requisition adequate poll staff and returning officers, it said.

When it said it would also require the voter list of the last assembly election from EC, the bench came down heavily on it and said, "You (SEC) did not know these are the requirements? Are local body elections being held for the first time in Maharashtra? All these show your inaction and incompetence."

The bench asked the Maharashtra govt to provide necessary polling staff and returning officers to the SEC by Nov end and ordered the SEC to complete the elections by Jan 31.

"No further extension of time would be given," the bench said and asked the SEC to file periodic compliance reports about requisition of EVMs, voter list and poll staff.

On May 6, a bench led by Justice Kant allowed the elections based on OBC reservations applicable to constituencies as applicable prior to July 2010 as the recommendations of the Banthia Commission had not been fully crystallised by the state.

Elections had not been held in many local bodies for years because of SC's Aug 2022 status quo order on petitions challenging a state ordinance, which had provided for 27% OBC reservation in local bodies based on recommendation of the Banthia Commission.

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