NGO files PIL in Gujarat HC seeking stay on local body elections

Ahmedabad

A public interest litigation filed in the Gujarat High Court today sought a stay to the coming local body polls in the state, alleging mismanagement by the State Election Commission (SEC).

Justice A G Uraizee would hear the PIL, filed by the Gujarat Nagrik Sangathan, tomorrow.

Among other things, the petition states that voters are in the dark about the background of candidates, as the affidavits filed with the nominations, giving information about the candidate’s income, education, criminal record (if any), etc., have not been uploaded on the SEC website yet.

Hence, the voters can’t decide who to vote for, it says.

Voting for the municipal corporations of Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Jamnagar and Bhavnagar will take place on November 22, while that for 31 district panchayats, 230 taluka panchayats and 56 municipalities will take place on November 29.

Another grievance of the petitioners is that political parties this time have not come out with manifestos which are an integral part of the election process.

Voters have not yet got voter slips though the polls are around the corner, so they are clueless about their polling booths, it says.

PTI