The Delhi High Court on Friday directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to hold by-elections to vacant seats in 13 municipal wards of the Capital by April 30 next year.
A Division Bench gave the direction after the SEC counsel told the court that it was committed to holding by-polls to the vacant seats in four months, if the Delhi government provides the requisite manpower, police personnel and funds.
The counsel contended that since the delimitation exercise had begun in the Capital following the Lieutenant-Governor’s orders, holding of by-elections could delay the process of municipal general elections to be held in April 2017. The Bench, comprising Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath, said if the municipal general elections were to be held in April 2017, there should be no difficulty in holding by-elections before April 30, 2016. The court posted the matter for further hearing on December 22, after Delhi government's standing counsel Rahul Mehra said he needed instructions whether the requisite manpower could be provided to the SEC for holding the polls.
The court's directions came during the hearing on a public interest litigation moved by a 20-year-old law student, Sanjana Gehlot, pointing out bad civic conditions in her village, which said that drain water was overflowing on all the streets and filth was spread everywhere with the entire village suffering due to foul smell.
The court has posted the
matter for further hearing on December 22
