RANCHI: The Jharkhand High Court on Thursday directed the Hemant Soren-led State Government to ensure municipal elections are conducted within four months, that is, by May this year. The directions were passed by the court of Justice Ananda Sen during the hearing of a contempt petition filed by the outgoing Ranchi Municipal Corporation Councillor Roshni Khalkho and others. During the hearing, the court also expressed concern over the government’s failure to comply with its earlier order, passed by the court on January 4, 2024, which required election dates to be announced within three weeks. Officials, including Chief Secretary Alka Tiwari and Urban Development Secretary Sunil Kumar, appeared in person during the proceedings. Citing reason behind not following the order, the state government submitted before the court that the process of triple test has almost been completed at the district level to determine the eligibility for reservation to backward classes. The process of triple test is pending in only a few districts, which will be completed very soon. The state government also informed that court that the voter list is yet to be received from the Election Commission of India, due to which, there is some delay. The petitioner on the other hand, told the court that the elections could be conducted without finalizing the triple-test process, referring a Supreme Court ruling that prohibits delaying elections solely for determining reservation quotas, further accusing that the state government is deliberately stalling the process and called for contempt action. The High Court had already criticized the government on January 13 for failing to conduct the elections, stating that the triple-test process cannot justify the delay. Earlier in January 2023, the High Court also directed the state government to conduct municipal elections within three weeks. The government, however, filed an affidavit asserting that the elections could only take place after the completion of the triple test. Though, the state government could have proceeded with elections without offering reservation to the Other Backward Classes (OBC) community. However, it has expressed its commitment to completing the triple test process to ensure reservations for OBCs are given. Meanwhile, the State Election Commission had reportedly made all preparations to hold the elections without reservations, but the state government has remained firm on conducting them only after the triple test is completed. Notably, the tenure of all municipal bodies in Jharkhand ended in April 2023, with elections originally due by April 27, 2023. The prolonged delay prompted judicial intervention to address the matter.
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