Andhra Pradesh High Court directed govt to file a counter-affidavit for the delay in Panchayat elections

Public interest litigation has been filed in the High Court on the issue of holding panchayat elections even though the term for panchayats has expired. Chief Justice of the High Court Justice JK Maheshwari and Justice U Durga Prasada Rao hearing has held a hearing on Thursday. On this occasion, the court sought clarification on the delay in conducting the panchayat elections.

The High Court has ordered the Secretary-General of the Government and the Chief Secretary of the Panchayati Raj Department to file an affidavit stating why the elections are not held and what the laws say. If both parties fail to file an affidavit, they are required to attend court. The bench also asked the state election commission why they could not move High Court in delaying of reservation. The hearing was adjourned to November 14.

Lawyer Tandava Yogesh filed a PIL in the High Court requesting that the elections for Gram Panchayats be held in the earliest possible. With the term of gram panchayats ended up on August 1 2018, the Joint High Court ruling on the Panchayat Elections on October 23, 2018, ordered the AP government and the Election Commission to complete the process within three months. The Election Commission, however, said that the government did not finalize the reservation.