NCP Nagpur to send letters to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to hold local body polls

NAGPUR: Accusing the Maharashtra government led by chief minister Eknath Shinde of not complying with the Supreme Court’s orders, the NCP city unit has demanded it to conduct the local body polls as early as possible.
The party, which was the part of Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government till June 30, would be sending thousands of letters to governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari requesting him to ensure that the elections are not delayed.
Interacting with the media here on Friday, party’s city chief Duneshwar Pethe said the apex court had twice directed the State Election Commission (SEC), in May and July to conduct the elections within 15 days.
“Accordingly, the process was completed as per the three-member ward system. A gazette notification about OBC reservation was about to be issued by August 5 after which the polls could have been declared. But the two-men cabinet of Shinde and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis suddenly reintroduced four-member ward system just two days back. It led to indefinite postponement of the local body polls,” he said.
Citing the top court’s orders, Pethe said as per Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act and other rules governing the local body polls, once the current body completed five years of its tenure, the elections should be held as early as possible. “The deadline of August 5, as stipulated by the top court, was already completed and it was mandatory for the government and SEC to declare the polls. However, the government is fully aware that they would lose all the polls if they are held in the current situation and therefore, they are violating the SC’s directives,’ he said.