Odisha to move SC against HC order on quota in local bodies

BHUBANESWAR: The state government will move the Supreme Court against an Orissa high court order that stopped it from allotting more than 50% of reserved seats to SCs, STs and backward classes in non-scheduled areas in the coming local body election.
Altogether 90 urban local bodies will go to the polls in November-December this year.

Sangramjit Nayak, director of municipal administration (DMA), on Wednesday said since the election process is on and delimitation of wards and the reservation of seats completed, the state government will seek the Supreme Court's permission to hold the polls according to the existing reservation system. The state government is likely move the apex court within a week.

Nayak said, "Though 27% of the seats are reserved for backward classes under the existing system, there is no fixed reservation for SC and ST candidates. Seats for SC and ST candidates are allotted on the basis of their population. This is why we have more than 50% reserved seats in many civic bodies." He added that following instructions from the state election commission, district collectors have completed delimitation of wards and reservation of seats under the existing system.