In compliance with a Supreme Court order of staying mandatory educational qualifications for contesting elections to the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in Haryana, the State Election Commission today directed the District Election Officers (DEOs) to accept “conditional” nomination papers from all eligible candidates.
Sources said the receipt of the nomination papers would be issued with a rider that fate of nominations would depend on the final outcome of the case pending in the Supreme Court. The last date for filing nominations (September 19) for the first phase would, however, not be extended.
The apex court yesterday stayed the operation of the Haryana Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Act, 2015, which mandated educational qualifications for candidates contesting panchayat elections, besides certain other conditions. The Bill was passed by the Haryana Vidhan Sabha recently.
Meanwhile, Palwal MLA Karan Dalal, whose amendments to the Bill were rejected by the Vidhan Sabha, termed the “conditional” acceptance of nomination papers as the “contempt of court”.
“When the Supreme Court has already stayed the operation of the Act, the government authorities have no right to put a rider to accepting nominations from candidates, amounting to scaring away genuine candidates. This is clearly the contempt of the Supreme Court,” he said.
The three-phase elections to the PRIs are scheduled for October 4, 11 and 18. The last date for filing nominations for the first phase is September 19. The scrutiny of nomination papers will be on September 21 and candidates can withdraw their papers till September 24.
Sources said the receipt of the nomination papers would be issued with a rider that fate of nominations would depend on the final outcome of the case pending in the Supreme Court. The last date for filing nominations (September 19) for the first phase would, however, not be extended.
The apex court yesterday stayed the operation of the Haryana Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Act, 2015, which mandated educational qualifications for candidates contesting panchayat elections, besides certain other conditions. The Bill was passed by the Haryana Vidhan Sabha recently.
Meanwhile, Palwal MLA Karan Dalal, whose amendments to the Bill were rejected by the Vidhan Sabha, termed the “conditional” acceptance of nomination papers as the “contempt of court”.
“When the Supreme Court has already stayed the operation of the Act, the government authorities have no right to put a rider to accepting nominations from candidates, amounting to scaring away genuine candidates. This is clearly the contempt of the Supreme Court,” he said.
The three-phase elections to the PRIs are scheduled for October 4, 11 and 18. The last date for filing nominations for the first phase is September 19. The scrutiny of nomination papers will be on September 21 and candidates can withdraw their papers till September 24.
