Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jul 20: The election to the posts of president and vice-president of Gurpur gram panchayat (GP), which has already witnessed a couple of interesting developments, has now got another twist. The state high court (HC) has nullified the election already held to these posts, and has asked the returning officer to hold the election afresh on July 23, by providing an opportunity to all the GP members an opportunity to file nominations.

In the election to these two posts held on July 13, only six of the 28 members of the GP had participated. As only two nomination papers were received, one from Shboha P for the post of the president, and the other, from Muhammed Sadiq for the post of the vice-president, the returning officer had announced on July 16 that both of them have been elected unopposed.

All the 22 Congress members had abstained from election process, as the party members had approached HC seeking change in reservation criteria for the post of the president, and the members were confident of securing a stay against the election. But no stay was granted then. They also thought that election would not be held as the meeting suffered from want of quorum in the absence of Congress members. However, the returning officer proceeded with the election as the government order clearly stated that election should be held before July 15 for all the GPs in the state.

Congress-supported members had filed writ petition in the HC, questioning the above election. They argued that holding of election process in the absence of the presence of sufficient number of GP members to form quorum, was against Panchayati Raj Act. The court, concurring with their argument, held that the above election was not lawful, and hence ordered for filing of nominations and holding of election on July 23. This was stated by a release by Gurpur block Congress Committee.