Amritsar MC elections unlikely by November 15

Charanjit Singh Teja

Amritsar, October 22

For the ensuing Municipal Corporation elections, ticket aspirants in different parties have started lobbying and holding meetings, yet the administration appears to be in no hurry to rush up things. The Election Commission gave instructions to prepare electoral rolls for the MC polls by October 21, but the administration does not appear to have made any effort in the direction. According to the information available, the process for preparing the electoral rolls is still underway and it is unlikely that the elections would be held by the deadline of November 15 fixed by the Local Bodies Department.

As per schedule issued by the EC, the district administration was supposed to prepare the electoral rolls by October 19. The draft electoral rolls were supposed to be published on October 21 but the district administration is yet to do so. After the publication of electoral rolls, the objections and claims of residents would be heard. The whole process is getting deviated from the schedule issued by EC which was to conduct the elections till November 15. Political experts feel that the government would postpone the date for conducting the elections as the process needs at least two months.

“The Department of Local Bodies announced that the elections for MC would be held by November 15. But the process of revising the electoral rolls needs 15 to 20 days. Then the election process also needs at least two months. The government issued the final notification for the delimitation of 85 MC wards of the city only last week. How is it possible to conduct the elections within 15 days? There would be Diwali festival on November 12. The government may announce some other date in January 2024 or conduct the elections along with Lok Sabha elections,” said Kuljit Singh, a political expert.

Long-winded process

The Department of Local Bodies announced that the elections for MC would be held by November 15. But the process of revising the electoral rolls needs 15 to 20 days. Then the election process also needs at least two months. The government issued the final notification for the delimitation of 85 MC wards of the city only last week. How is it possible to conduct the elections within 15 days?