Uttarakhand HC Lifts Stay on Panchayat Elections Amid Allegations

Nainital, June 27 (PTI): The Uttarakhand High Court has lifted the stay on the panchayat elections in the state and has directed the state government to respond to Public Interest Litigations (PILs) that allege irregularities in the state's reservation roster for these elections.

The decision came after a division bench, consisting of Chief Justice G. Narendar and Justice Alok Mahara, reviewed a series of petitions contesting the reservation roster. The court has instructed the state election commission to publish a revised election schedule, extending the previously cancelled timetable by three days.

The state government has been asked to address the issues presented by the petitioners within a period of three weeks. The concerns pertain to the allocation of reservations for block pramukh and district panchayat president positions.

Petitioners argue that several seats have consistently been reserved for the same category, contravening Article 243 of the Indian Constitution as well as past Supreme Court rulings. Advocate General S. N. Babulkar and Chief Standing Counsel C. D. Rawat contend that following the National Commission for Backward Classes' report, there was a necessity to invalidate the old reservation roster and issue a new one for the upcoming elections.

The high court had initially placed a stay on the elections on June 23, despite them having been announced by the state election commission. The previously scheduled elections were to occur in two phases, on July 10 and 15. However, this was subsequently suspended following the court's directive.