Not in confrontation with govt, says SEC

In a significant move, State Election Commissioner UPS Madan met Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray late Monday evening and impressed upon him the urgency and necessity of the implementation of Supreme Court order on the resumption of prepoll process for civic and local body elections in Maharashtra. Madan’s meeting comes close on the heels of resumption of the local body pre-poll process by the SEC. The process was stopped on March 10 after the state government passed two laws transferring SEC’s powers on delimitation of wards and fixing a poll schedule to the state government. Authoritative sources told the Free Press Journal, "Madan discussed the SC order and told CM that SEC was not against the state government nor it has confrontationist stand but insisted that it was merely implementing the apex court order that will lead to the completion of pre-poll

‘Want state on board for conducting local body polls’

process. The incomplete process comprising the formation of wards, taking out a draw for reservation for SC and ST and women and fixation of voters’ list will be completed by July when the elections cannot be held due to monsoon. The elections are likely by September or October." Sources said, "Madan also argued that the state government needs to be on board with SEC for conducting the upcoming polls to 20 municipal corporations, 210 nagar parishads, 25 zilla parishads as its machinery is needed for the same.” Meanwhile, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, who had telephonic conversation with Madan on Monday, clarified that the Supreme Court has ordered the commencement of pre-poll process and not declaration of poll schedule for civic and local bodies in the state.