Jharkhand HC Pulls Up Govt for Delay in Municipal Elections, Summons Chief Secretary

Ranchi – The Jharkhand High Court on Friday sharply criticized the state government for failing to conduct municipal elections, despite a directive issued last year.

In a stern move, the court summoned the Chief Secretary to personally appear during the next hearing.

The court was hearing a contempt petition filed by Roshni Khalkho, an outgoing councillor of the Ranchi Municipal Corporation.

The bench, expressing serious concern, observed that the state is in blatant violation of the "rule of law" and remarked that it seems the "constitutional machinery has collapsed."

Earlier, on January 4, 2024, Justice Ananda Sen had directed the government to hold municipal elections within three weeks — an order that remains unexecuted.

The petitioner’s counsel, advocate Vinod Singh, urged the court to initiate contempt proceedings against the government.

The court took the matter seriously and fixed the next hearing for the upcoming Friday, instructing the Chief Secretary to provide an explanation in person.

Municipal bodies across Jharkhand completed their terms in April 2023, but elections were deferred as the government began working on OBC reservation through a 'triple test' process, which still remains incomplete.

In the meantime, governance has been handed over to bureaucrats, sidelining elected representatives for more than two years.

With inputs from IANS