Odisha ULB polls: BJP to move High Court against State Election Commission on Monday

BHUBANESWAR:  The BJP is all set to move the Orissa High Court on Monday against the State Election Commission (SEC) over its alleged inaction towards  holding elections for the urban local bodies (ULBs) in the State.

Accusing the SEC of committing a constitutional crisis by not holding elections to the civic bodies before the term expired in September 2018, the BJP had urged the authority to immediately approach the High Court for a direction to the State government for extending necessary administrative support to fulfil the constitutional mandate.

A delegation of the party had also met State Election Commissioner Aditya Padhi and submitted a memorandum urging him to approach the High Court for necessary direction to the government in this regard.

“Two weeks have passed and the SEC is silent over the issue. The BJP thought it proper to move the High Court against the SEC which is reluctant to take recourse to legal remedy available under the Constitution and order of the Supreme Court in the Kishan Singh Tomar vs Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation case,” said party spokesperson Dilip Mohanty.

“There is no logic for the SEC to further delay the urban polls which is overdue and even after the Supreme Court upholding the decision of the High Court in the matter of reservation. The BJP has every reason to believe that the SEC is hand in glove with the ruling BJD as it is not acting independently,” he added.