A growing consensus that the Election Commission of India (EC) should, ideally, call off the byelections to the Chavara and Kuttanad Assembly constituencies schedule for November appeared to emerge in informal consultations between the ruling front and the Opposition on Thursday. The BJP has also largely agreed to the suggestion.
An all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday will debate the issue in detail. The panel can only make a recommendation to the EC, which has the sole authority in the matter. Party leaders reportedly gave each other the impression that the bypolls were inessential given the Assembly elections in mid-2021.
Local body polls
The meeting is also likely to attempt to arrive at an accord on the growing demand to postpone the local body elections given the COVID-19 scare. However, the BJP is against the proposal.
State Election Commissioner (SEC) V. Bhaskaran has called a meeting of political parties on September 18 to inform them about the conduct of the polls against the backdrop of the pandemic.
The SEC is responsible for the preparation of voters’ list and conduct of elections to the local self-government institutions.
The Congress-led UDF and the ruling LDF will attempt to put a united face in front of the SEC to push their case for postponement of the local body elections despite the opposition by the BJP.
Amendment required
Congress MLA V.D. Satheeshan told The Hindu the government would require to amend the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act and Rules, possibly by issuing an Ordinance, to postpone the local bodyt elections.
Ideally, the amendment should carry the provison that the proposed postponement was because of the pandemic. “Voters should feel safe to come out and exercise their franchise,” he said.
An SEC official said the Commission would inform the government if political parties raise the demand to defer the local body elections at the September 18 conference. The government would also require to issue an order to hand over the governance of LSGIs to administrative committees if newly elected councils are not sworn in by November 2.
