Allahabad HC Seeks State Govt’s Reply On Plea Challenging Its Draft Notification On Seat Reservation For OBC & SC For Urban Local Body Elections
The Allahabad High Court on Friday directed the Uttar Pradesh government to file its response on a petition challenging its draft notification on reservation of seats for Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Scheduled Castes (SC) for the forthcoming urban local body elections.
Hearing the writ petition filed by Abhinav Tripathi, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker and Justice Saumitra Dayal Singh directed the state government to decide all objections to the draft notification received till April 6 in accordance with law.
The court also directed that this order would apply to other similar cases wherein objections may have been filed within the stipulated time frame. The court listed the matter for further hearing on May 15.
Anoop Trivedi, Senior Counsel assisted by Advocates Vibhu Rai and Vinay Kumar Tiwari appeared for the petitioner and Ramanand Pandey, Additional Chief Standing Counsel, appeared for the State.
On March 30, the Uttar Pradesh government issued a provisional list of reserved seats of mayors of municipal corporations and chairpersons of municipal councils and nagar panchayats for the three-tier urban elections, and sought objections within seven days.
Besides challenging the draft notification, the petitioner sought a mandamus upon the state government to decide the petitioner's objection dated April 6. The submission of the petitioner's counsel was that the state is bound to decide all objections that have been received by it till 6 pm on April 6, within the timeline indicated in the draft notification.
On behalf of the state government, the additional chief standing counsel submitted that he does not have any objection to the submission advanced by the counsel for the petitioner as, according to him, the state authorities are bound to consider all objections filed within the stipulated time in accordance with law.
With PTI Inputs