Announce Shimla civic polls schedule within 24 hrs: HC to SEC

Taking a tough stand, the Himachal Pradesh High Court directed the State Election Commission (SEC) today to announce the schedule of election to the Shimla Municipal Corporation within 24 hours and conduct the polls by June 18.
The election to the civic body had been deferred by the poll panel following complaints of discrepancies in electoral rolls. The poll panel had also ordered revision of electoral rolls, to be completed by 23 June.
A division bench of Justices Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Chander Bhusan Barowalia said that the election would be held on the basis of the electoral rolls published on May 5.

It said, "The elected and nominated body of the existing municipal corporation shall not be permitted to remain in office after expiry of the five-year term on June 4, 2017."
It is the duty and responsibility of the state government to put in place a proper mechanism to ensure that the working of the corporation does not suffer on account of implementation of this judgement, the bench has said.
The high court was hearing a petition filed by BJP activist Raju Thakur, challenging the orders of the SEC for revising the electoral rolls and completing the process by June 23.

It said the exercise being undertaken by the SEC for the revision of electoral rolls "cannot rest the process of election".
The revision of electoral rolls was required to be carried out in time by the authorities and if they have not been carried out within the time frame, then the election has to be conducted on the basis of the existing electoral rolls.