Madras HC stays Puducherry local body elections for violating reservations

A division bench of Justice R Mahadevan and Justice Abdul Quddhose of the Madras High Court on Monday put a hold on Puducherry local body elections for violating the mandate to provide reservations to Backward Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The elections were initially to be held on November 2, 7 and 13. The interim stay order was issued in response to the petition filed by DMK legislator R Siva. Siva approached the court requesting that the poll process be suspended till October 21. The matter has been posted before a bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee.

"All further proceedings shall be kept in abeyance and the matter is directed to be listed on October 21 before the first bench for filing counter affidavit and for filing further orders," the bench said. It also noted that the bench headed by Chief Justice Banerjee had permitted the Puducherry government and the State Election Commission to clear and set right the anomalies pointed out in the writ petitions appeared before it regarding the local body elections.

"However, instead of setting right the anomalies pointed out, the notifications for providing reservations for BCs and STs was rescinded," the bench said.

The polls are for five municipalities and ten commune panchayats. As per the original schedule, the polls were to be held in three phases on October 21, 25 and 28. Following non-compliance with reservations for women and Scheduled Castes, a fresh election notification. This notification scheduled the polls for November 2,7, and 13.