Mah Election Commissioner Nandlal to move HC on Monday

Mumbai, June 9 (UNI) Maharashtra State Election Commissioner (SEC) Nandlal today said he will move the Bombay High Court on Monday challenging the existing laws under which the local body elections are held.

Mr Nandlal told mediapersons here today that the existing laws under which the elections to municipal corporations, councils, zila parishads, nagar panchayats, gram panchayats and panchayat samitis are held were against the spirit of the Constitution.

Mr Nandlal said he had not received the notice of the breach of privilege moved against him by Congress MLA Janardan Chandurkar during the budget session of the State Legislature, for allegedly using his authority to overrule the legislations passed by the Legislative Assembly.

Even though Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has said the ''Nandlal issue'' was a closed chapter, he said the issue was not closed for him.

Mr Nandlal, who was the senior most bureaucrat of the Maharashtra cadre before he took over as the SEC, had levelled several allegations against the Chief Minister's style of functioning. He had also said that he was just implementing the constitutional provisions to conduct the local bodies polls.

He reiterated his demand that the SEC be accorded the status of a High Court judge. ''My predeccesor had demanded it and I am endorsing the same. Until,the demand is met , I will not attend the Indpendence day and Republic day functions,'' he declared.

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