HC seeks govt reply on pleas opposing indirect mayoral polls

The Chhattisgarh High Court on Monday sought a reply from the state government on petitions challenging its decision to hold indirect elections to the posts of mayors of municipal corporations and chairpersons of other civic bodies. Last month, the state government had issued a gazette notification of the Chhattisgarh Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019, paving the way for indirect elections of mayors and chiefs of other civic bodies, Advocate General Satishchandra Verma said.

Janata Congress Chhattisgarh(J) MLA Dharamjeet Singh and five others had filed separate petitions, challenging the decision of the government. They have dubbed the decision as unconstitutional, he said.

A division bench of Chief Justice P R Ramchandra Menon and Justice P P Sahu on Monday took up all six petitions for hearing and directed the government to furnish its response, Verma said. The HC then posted the matter for hearing on November 28, the advocate general added.

As per the ordinance, members of the public will directly elect corporators, who in turn, will elect mayors and chairpersons of municipal bodies from among them. Till now, mayors and chairpersons of municipal bodies were being directly elected by voters in the state.

Civic body elections are likely to be held in the state by December-end.

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