Citing “exceptional circumstances” prevailing in the State following COVID-19, the State Election Commission (SEC) has postponed elections to 5,800 gram panchayats (GPs). The term of 5,800 rural local bodies of the 6,025 GPs would end in June-August.
In a release to the media, the SEC said under 243-k of the Constitution, the commission has powers to postpone elections to GPs. Under unavoidable circumstances, the commission has decided to postpone polls to GPs temporarily, it said.
Following Congress opposition to postponement of GPs elections, the SEC had decided to solicit views of Deputy Commissioners on the viability of holding elections to GPs in June-July. Official sources in the SEC said a majority of the Deputy Commissioners had submitted their written suggestions to the commission seeking deferment of elections to GPs by 2-3 months.
The main argument of the DCs was that the district and taluk-level administration was presently busy with COVID-19 related work following increased number of cases. Moreover, it was not viable to hold elections in June and July since the State receives heavy rains and the district administrative machinery would be involved in rain-related works. It was also difficult to maintain social distancing norms during the campaign as well as during polling.
The SEC said it had commenced work related to preparation of electoral roll and reservation of seats as per the newly amended Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj Act, 1993. But the work remained incomplete as over 50% of the staff stayed home and did not attend offices during lockdown.
The Congress leaders submitted a petition to the SEC seeking elections as per schedule. They demanded the SEC to hold elections as per the Act and opposed the government’s plan to appoint its party workers as administrators through Deputy Commissioners.
