Today, Gujarat State Election Commission has announced postponement of general elections of Municipal Corporations due to law and order situation in the state. The announcement was made thorough a notification issued by EC.However EC notification does not sepcify clear reasons affecting the law and order situation, it is believed that the the commission is concerned about the prevailing situation in the state due to the Patel quota agitation. As per the notification issued by the secretary in the state election commission, the decision to conduct the elections of the local bodies, including municipalities and district panchayats, will be taken within 3 months time after examining the situation. Through the ordinance, the Gujarat government also empowered itself to take a decision to delay the polls if there is an apprehension that the voters would not be able to use the franchise freely and fairly. The Supreme Court has recently stayed the elections to municipalities and municipal corporations, following a plea by advocate Anirudh Sharma.
Since the ban was not applicable on panchayati raj institutions, Gujarat Congress unit had recently met the state election commissioner Varesh Sinha and requested him to expedite the process to hold elections in district panchayats and taluka panchayats across the state.
Congress has been alleging that the BJP-led Gujarat government is not interested in holding the elections at this juncture due to the situation in the state created by the Patel quota stir.
