Local Body Elections Deferred Due To COVID Spike: State Govt Tells Karnataka High Court

A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Oka and Justice N S Sanjay Gowda had in its order dated August 4, directed the state to justify its decision seeking a postponement.

Advocate General Prabhuling K Navadgi informed the court that the decision was taken as on that day considering the spike in number of positive cases of covid-19. He placed on record the media bulletin dated May 17, indicating the positivity rate as 39.70 per cent. On that day, 38k new cases were reported.

The court recorded the statement made by the Advocate General that the state government has always taken a stand that wherever the State Election Commission (SEC) is entrusted with the duty of holding elections, the state can only make recommendations. In cases of extreme situations like pandemic, the state government makes recommendations as ultimately SEC has to use machinery of state for the actual conduct of elections.

The SEC filed a memo before the court placing on record copies of schedule of elections announced on August 11, in respect of the municipal corporation of Belagavi, Hubli-Dharwad and Kalaburagi, as well as town municipal corporations of Doddaballapur, Tarikere and other places.

The court said "In view of the calendar of events announced by SEC for time being, we adjourn the petition to September 16. The SEC will submit a status report as regards election to local bodies on the next date."

Case No: WP 14925/2020