New Delhi. Allahabad High Court has ordered to hold Panchayat elections in Uttar Pradesh within three months. Hearing the petitions filed on the matters related to delay in Panchayat elections and appointment of village heads as administrators after the end of their tenure, the Division Bench of Justice Ajit Kumar and Justice Garima Prasad gave its verdict today. The High Court had listed all the petitions related to the Panchayat elections together. The division bench also made it clear that for the time being the outgoing village head administrator will remain. Now after this order of the High Court, preparations for Panchayat elections in UP are expected to gain momentum.
It is noteworthy that a total of 11 petitions were filed in the Allahabad High Court challenging the decision of the Yogi government to conduct Panchayat elections on time and appoint village heads as administrators. Six public interest litigations were also among these petitions. These petitions were mainly filed on behalf of Dashrath Yadav, advocate Imtiaz Hussain, Anil Kumar, Akbar Ansari and Hemchandra. The court linked all these petitions and heard them together. UP Government, Director of Panchayati Raj Department, District Magistrate, Chief Development Officer and District Panchayati Raj Officer were made parties in this case. Today, after a three-hour hearing, the High Court had reserved its decision and later announced the decision.
Earlier, an affidavit was filed by the Backward Classes Commission. However, the court had expressed dissatisfaction with the report of the OBC Commission and said that the report has been prepared sitting in the office without going to the field. In its decision, the High Court has ordered the State Election Commission to issue the notification of Panchayat elections as soon as possible and the state government to make all election related preparations and provide necessary resources.