Panchayat Elections | Delimitation Of Wards Complete, 5 Taluks & 1 District Increased: Karnataka Govt Tells High Court

Advocate General Prabhuling K Navadgi submitted that the Commission has sent the final notification of delimitation to the state government on January 30. "The said final notification is forwarded to the state government for publication, the said delimitation notification will be published within ten days from today.”

Further, the affidavit filed by the state government also submitted that before the exercise of delimitation was carried out there were 233 taluks and 30 districts and now the number of taluks has been increased to 238 and district number has been increased to 31.

By its order dated December 14, 2022 the court had taken a serious view of the extension sought by the Delimitation commission to complete the exercise. It had granted an extension of 90 days subject to the State government paying a cost of Rs 5 lakh.

A division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Ashok S Kinagi had then said, "Though we are not approving the approach of the State Government and State Delimitation Commission, but only to give opportunity so as to meet the ends of justice, we are extending the period till February 2, 2023. The state government and the State Delimitation Commission shall take all requisite steps before February 1, 2023, so as to complete the entire exercise of delimitation and reservation in respect of upcoming elections of taluka and zilla panchayats, before Jan 31, 2022 and submit a compliance report on the next date of hearing, February 2, 2023."

Further the state government in its affidavit informed the court about the order passed by the Supreme Court dated 15-12-2022, wherein it granted the Government of Karnataka time of upto March 31 2023 to finalise the report for providing political reservation on the basis of the report of Commission of Inquiry and Electoral representation, in respect of Backward categories/classes and OBC for conducting elections to Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike.

Following which the court allowed the application filed by the government praying for three months time for reservation of constituencies in Taluk and Zilla Panchayat of state of Karnataka.

The court also recorded the submission of Advocate General that after the publication of notification the report would be submitted to the State Election commission for further action.

The state also agreed to pay the cost of Rs 5 lakh imposed by the court and it did not press the application filed by it seeking waiver of the cost considering it is for welfare purpose.

The directions were given while hearing a petition filed by the Karnataka State Election Commission (SEC). The SEC had approached the court challenging the Karnataka Gram Sabha and Panchayat Raj Amendment Act, 2021. A direction was sought that the process and steps that have already been commenced for holding election to all of the taluk and zilla panchayats in state of Karnataka in pursuance of the final notification dated 30-03-2021 and draft reservation pursuant to the notification, be continued and completed expeditiously.

Case Title: The State Election Commission Karnataka v. State of Karnataka

Case No: WP 20426/2021