Mangaluru MLA and former Minister U.T. Khader said here on Monday that the State Cabinet deciding to establish a commission for delimitation of zilla and taluk panchayat constituencies by amending the Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act, 1993, is not in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. The BJP-led government has taken the decision as it fears to face the elections to the zilla and taluk panchayats, he said.
Addressing presspersons, the Congress leader said that the decision of the Cabinet is against relevant law. Timely elections to TPs and ZPs should be conducted to strengthen the Panchayat Raj system.
He said earlier the government postponed the elections citing COVID-19. Later, the Election Commission announced the draft reservation inviting objections. Now if the government wants a commission to decide on re-drawing the constituencies, why should there be an Election Commission, he sought to know.
The Cabinet’s decision is to weaken the Panchayat Raj system, Mr. Khader said adding that the government is only buying time to conduct the elections. The government should drop its decision and the Election Commission should conduct the election at the earliest, he said.
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Weekend curfew
On the weekend curfew imposed in Dakshina Kannada, the MLA said that the district administration should re-consider its decision. All shops should be allowed to do business. He questioned some BJP MLAs of the district submitting a memorandum to the Chief Minister requesting to lift the weekend curfew. When the MLAs are part of the District-level COVID-19 Task Force they can take the decision on lifting the weekend curfew. Is there a need to approach the CM for it, he asked.
