Madhya Pradesh govt directed to hold local body polls soon

The Supreme Court has asked the state election commission of Madhya Pradesh to issue a notification on polls to urban bodies in two weeks. The court had earlier said that the state cannot reserve seats for OBCs in the local polls without obtaining data on the percentage of OBCs.

Around 23,400 local bodies are slated to go to polls. A bench led by Justice AM Khanwilkar said on Tuesday that local body elections which form the essence of democracy cannot be deferred indefinitely while the state government completes the exercise required for setting aside OBC quotas.

The SC had earlier held that the state government must collect data to show that such reservation was required. Without the exercise, no state can set aside quotas, it said. The bench also clarified that the exercise of seeking people's representatives cannot be held up on the ground that the delimitation process would take time.


The state government was asked to extend logistical support to the commission. Civic body polls have been due for over two years in MP. The court had earlier ordered Maharashtra to conduct polls without OBC quota.