Ahmedabad: A question which is being debated in the Gujarat high court for the last two days is can a state government deny elections for a considerable period and appoint administrators to run municipal corporations on the expiry of the terms of the civic bodies?
The terms of the four municipal corporations of Ahmedabad Rajkot Surat and Baroda in western India will expire this month But there was no more for next election.
The reason given for this is that the census figures for 1991 is not likely to be available before October this year. Hence the voter’s 1st could not be prepared immediately.
The mayors and cooperators of these civic bodies not apprehensive filed petitions in the Gujarat high court praying for extension of the terms of the civic bodies till fresh elections were held.
They also urged for granting interim stay on any likely move by the Gujarat government to supersede these civic bodies and. Appoint administrators to run the four corporations three of which are controlled by the opposition BIP and one by the Congress the ally of the Ruling Janata Dal (Gujarat).
The petitioners advocates Giriraj Desai Sharad Vakil and. others argued that the elections could be held on the basis of the last proceeding census. The voters list could also be revised as per the rule. They contended that the figures of the 1991 census could not be available before Oci.1992 and. if the election process is started after that it would not be completed before March 1994. Then elections hereafter might be held in every 10yearsinsiead of five years. They said the last elections to these civic bodies were held during 1985-86.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 14, 1992
