New Delhi, Nov 9 (IANS): The Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to stay the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections slated to be held on December 4.

Dealing with a group of pleas challenging the delimitation of wards and their reservation, a division bench headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma asserted that the court cannot stay the polls once the election notification was issued by the State Election Commission (SEC).

"Once elections are notified, we can't stay it," the bench, also comprising Justice Subramonium Prasad, said.

One of the pleas, moved by a Congress leader contended that the division of wards for the elections was done based on community and religious lines, violating the basic tenets of the Constitution.

The SEC announced the election schedule for MCD last Friday. The voting will be held on December 4, the counting will be held on December 7 and the results will be announced on the same day.