Pune: Local Self-Government Petitions for Further Delay in Municipal Elections, Supreme Court Sets New Date for Hearing
Pune, 10th January 2024: A crucial hearing scheduled for Tuesday in the Supreme Court, addressing petitions related to local self-government bodies, has been postponed to March 4. The delay has raised concerns about the possible further postponement of municipal elections, given the upcoming Lok Sabha and assembly elections in March.
A petition was filed in the Supreme Court concerning local self-government bodies, with a separate petition addressing the reservation of other backward-class communities. The progression of these petitions has resulted in the postponement of the elections. The upcoming Supreme Court hearing on March 4 adds to the uncertainty surrounding the feasibility of conducting municipal elections.
The city has been without a public representative for two and a half years, with Municipal Commissioner Administrator Vikram Kumar currently overseeing the Municipal Corporation. The decision on the electoral system, whether three-member or four-member ward, awaits the court’s verdict.
The last Municipal Corporation election took place in February 2017, when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a majority for the first time, winning 98 corporator seats. With the next elections on the horizon, the BJP aims to increase its representation, but changing political equations and ward structures may lead to shifts in party affiliations. The delay in the Supreme Court hearing has put a damper on these political calculations, impacting the overall electoral process.
With the municipal elections slated to follow the Lok Sabha and assembly elections, the aspirations of potential candidates have been significantly dampened.
