K'taka High Court permits gram panchayat elections; poll schedule to be published in 3 weeks

Bengaluru: The High Court here has given permission to hold the gram panchayat elections and has directed the State’s Election Commission to publish the schedule for the elections in three weeks.

Congress MLA KC Kondiah had filed a petition in the High Court demanding that the government and the Election Commission be directed to conduct the elections for gram panchayats.

High Court Chief Justice AS Oak and a Divisional Bench headed by him had adjourned the matter for a hearing on October 23.

The High Court later directed the State’s Election Commission to announce the schedule for the election to the 5,800 gram panchayats in the State within three weeks.

The High Court ruled out the government’s role in the electoral process and instructed the commission to appeal to the governor if there is a need of personnel for election duties.