CHANDIGARH: Municipal elections in Punjab scheduled to be held on December 22 and 23 have been deferred.

According to reliable sources, a notification under Section 3 of the Municipal Election Rules, 1952, for holding elections to three municipal corporations and 95 municipal committees next month will not be issued. As such the election schedule approved earlier stands cancelled,

Although no official reasons were given for deferring the civic poll, it is presumed that certain political parties, including the Congress (I), had objected to the manner in which a decision for holding the elections was taken. The Janata Dal (S) Congress (I) alliance at the Centre, which has provided a new lease of life to the Congress (I) in the state, gives the party a new fillip by getting the municipal elections postponed.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Municipal Act has been amended to extend the supersession of municipalities by another six months. Unless the Act is amended further, the elections to the civic bodies are now to be conducted on or before May 17, 1991

No elections to the municipal corporation in Punjab had been held ever since their incorporation in 1976. The last elections to the municipal committees were held in 1979.

The Director of Local Government, Mr Gokul Patnaik, has gone to Orissa on long leave.

In fact the Punjab Government had delegated all powers to the Director, Local Government, and the Joint Director. Local Government for the purpose of holding municipal elections.

One thing is obvious that the postponing of elections has nothing to do with the law and order situation in the state, only last week the Home Department had given signal to the Local Government for holding the elections, The Home Department had requested. That polling, if necessary, should not be held on the day of the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh. The department had also assured of adequate security arrangements,

Clear picture would emerge only after the second meeting of the State Advisory Council on November 20. A final decision on the election issue is likely to be taken next week.

Article extracted from this publication >> November 23, 1990