Odisha Panchayat poll reservation policy challenged in HC

The Orissa High Court Monday directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to submit an affidavit detailing the reservation policies to be adopted for the upcoming three-tier panchayat elections in the state.

The direction came from a division bench headed by Chief Justice S Muralidhar while holding preliminary hearings of a writ petition challenging the state government’s notification issued in this connection on October 1, 2021.

The petitioner has stated that the notification issued by the Panchayat Raj secretary, if implemented, will completely take away the Constitutional as well as Statutory rights of Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) people.

“The state government notification is also contrary to the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act of 1992, which came into effect in April 1993”, the petition said.

“Among other anomalies, the government notification is aimed at changing the percentage of reservation of the seats for SC and ST candidates and it will also alter the rotation principle of reservation of seats”, the petitioner’s counsel Sukanta Dalei said. He said the Court has fixed December 20 for the next hearing and the SEC was asked to submit its affidavit by December 14. PTI COR AAM MM MM

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