Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Sep 16: The state high court (HC) has stayed operation of the state government's order which had changed the reservation criterion which had earlier been declared for the post of the municipal president here. BJP municipal councillors, A Govinda Prabhu, Vidyavathi, and Jayarama Naik had approached the HC, challenging the revised order of the government.

It is learnt that the stay order issued by the HC will be in operation till September 29.

Out of 27 posts of municipal councillors here, 11 have been won by BJP, 12 by Congress, and four by SDPI. BJP, with the support of votes of local MLA and MP, has emerged as the largest party with the support of 13 members. Therefore it had planned to contest for the posts of the president and vice president. As per the reservation criteria earlier announced, the post of the president was to go to woman candidate from general category and that of vice president was to go to candidate from backward classes category A. As all the three parties, Congress, BJP, and SDPI had eligible candidates to contest for these posts, they were preparing to fight for the same.

However, the government changed its mind all of a sudden and modified the reservation list as per which candidate to the post of the president should be from scheduled caste. It is said Congress alone has a candidate conforming to this requirement.