Notification of panchayat elections in Uttar Pradesh can be issued on any day in the second week of March. The Election Commission has started preparing for it. In view of the High Court’s directive to hold three-tier panchayat elections by 30 April, the Commission is preparing to complete the entire election process in 42 to 45 days. Under the High Court order, the state government has to complete the reservation of seats by March 17.
Significantly, the Allahabad High Court has rejected the Commission’s demand for holding elections by May 2021. A division bench of Justices MN Bhandari and RR Agarwal, while disposing of Vinod Upadhyay’s petition, ordered that elections be held by 30 April. Hence, the commission will have to complete the election process within 42 to 45 days. Sources say that the preparation is to issue the notification on 18 March. For the purpose of completing the process on time, the Commission is considering to conduct simultaneous voting for Pradhan, Gram Panchayat member, Kshetra Panchayat member and Zilla Panchayat member. It is also being considered that elections should be held in four stages. In these phases, elections will be held by dividing the districts of the 18 mandals of the state or if four different areas are held within each district and elections are to be held.
Delay due to corona
Tri-level panchayat elections in Uttar Pradesh should have been done before December 28 last year but due to corona it was delayed but after the High Court order on Thursday, there is no more delay . The commission has to complete the election process by 30 April. After the High Court’s decision on the Panchayat elections, Additional Election Commissioner of the State Election Commission, Ved Prakash Verma had said that the Commission is ready to conduct the elections within the time limit set by the High Court. Giving details of the preparations, he had said that the voter list has been published. 52.50 crore ballots and 90 thousand ballots have been sent to the districts. Erasable ink has also been ordered. Hence, there is no reason for delay now.
