Sources from the SEC said that it usually publishes the draft ward boundaries along with reservation of the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes seeking suggestions and objections from people. WITH THE OBC reservation issue pending in the Supreme Court, the State Election Commission (SEC) has delinked the exercise of publishing the draft ward boundaries and announcing seat reservations together.
The SEC will now hold a seat reservation lottery after March 2.
Sources from the SEC said that it usually publishes the draft ward boundaries along with reservation of the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes seeking suggestions and objections from people.
“There is no such provision in the law to publish both together, but it is a system that has been followed by the SEC. However, this time, the SEC decided to delink both the process and deal with the reservation lottery independently as the OBC reservation issue is sub-judice,” said an official.
The official further said that publishing only SC and ST reservations along with draft ward boundaries would have created confusion among people. “The OBC quota issue has been going on for a year and the matter is sub-judice in the SC. It seems that there will be some clarity on OBC quota soon. So, the reservation lottery will be held after March 2,” said the official, adding that it has given a chance to the state government to present its side well before SC.
SEC directed civic bodies to publish ward boundaries on February 1 seeking suggestions, objections from citizens till February 14.
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