A delegation from the Karnataka Congress on Friday submitted a petition to State Election Commissioner B Basavaraju urging the Commission to hold elections to 6024 gram panchayats (GPs) in the State as per the article 243 of the Indian Constitution and the Karanaka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj Act, 1993.
Elections to GPs were held in 2015 and the term of these bodies would end in June and July.
The delegation comprised of Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah and KPCC president designate D K Shivakumar, Congress legislators H K Patil and S R Patil.
Speaking to presspersons after the meeting, Mr. Siddaramaiah alleged that the State BJP government has been trying to subvert the Constitution and panchayat raj laws by postponing elections to GPs citing spread of COVID-19 in the State.
“The Commission has not provided any information so far about preparation of electoral roll, fixing of reservation to seats and calendar of events for holding election. It is the duty of the Commission to hold elections as per the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj Act, 1993,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.
He said the Cabinet has taken a decision to postpone elections and issued directions to Deputy Commissioners to undertake the COVID-19 related work. Quoting Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwrappa’s statement, the Congress leader said the government has plans to appoint committees to GPs though Deputy Commissioners.
“The Karnataka State Election Commission is an independent body and it need not listen to the government. The government has no right to give directions to the Commission, which is a constitutional body,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.
“We have told the commissioner to hold elections as per the law and not to succumb to the government’s pressure tactics. The Commissioner promised that the commission would abide the law and act accordingly,” Mr Siddaramaiah said.
Mr Shivakumar alleged the State government has been making efforts to “murder the democracy by postponing elections to rural local bodies”. Elections to GPs are apolitical and the Congress would protest in case the Government goes ahead with the appointment of its party workers to administrative committees of GPs through Deputy Commissioners, he warned.