Uttarakhand HC Demands State's Election Schedule

The Uttarakhand High Court has directed the state government to provide a timeline for the upcoming panchayat elections within 14 days. This follows a petition challenging a notification that allowed expired-term Zila Panchayat chairpersons to be appointed as administrators, a move considered contrary to previous assurances and legal directives.

The Uttarakhand High Court has mandated the state government to submit a plan for panchayat elections within the next 14 days. This ruling came as the court examined a petition contesting a government notification that allowed outgoing Zila Panchayat chairpersons to continue as administrators.

Judges Manoj Kumar Tiwari and Vivek Bharti Sharma presided over the case, which criticized the appointment of chairpersons as administrators, arguing it opposed regulatory guidelines and a previous Supreme Court decision. The state is urged to promptly announce election dates instead of extending current administrations.

Petitioners, including residents Suman Singh and Tara Singh Negi, cited a 2011 commitment by the state to avoid such appointments except during disasters. They argued that election schedules should have been set six months before the previous officials' terms ended.

(With inputs from agencies.)