Uttarakhand Panchayat Polls Stalled Amid Reservation Tussle

The Uttarakhand High Court has temporarily halted panchayat elections due to disputes over the reservation rotation process. The polls, originally scheduled for July 10 and 15, are on hold until further directions. State authorities are working to resolve the issue in compliance with judicial guidance.

The Uttarakhand High Court issued an order on Monday, suspending the imminent panchayat elections in the state due to ongoing disputes concerning the reservation rotation process. The decision was made by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Guhanathan Narendar and Justice Alok Mehra.

Originally, the three-tier panchayat polls were set to occur on July 10 and 15. The state election commission had planned for the vote counting on July 19. However, the court's intervention will postpone the elections until further notice, even as the model code of conduct is in effect in various urban regions across 12 districts.

State Election Commissioner Sushil Kumar issued the election notification on June 21. In response to the court's stay, Secretary Panchayati Raj Chandresh Kumar affirmed that the state government is diligently adhering to the high court's directives while maintaining constitutional protocols in the Panchayati Raj system.

(With inputs from agencies.)