ZP polls to be held as scheduled unless stayed by SC

Nagpur, Jan 12 (UNI) The elections to the Zilla Parishads (district councils) in Maharashtra slated for February 14 would be held as per schedule unless the Supreme Court grants a stay, Maharashtra State Election Commissioner (SEC) Nand Lal said here today.

Speaking to reporters after presiding over a meeting to review the arrangements for the February one elections to the general body of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), Mr Lal said the state election commission would go by the apex court's verdict and in the meantime, it would strictly follow the law.

The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court (HC) had passed an order on October three last that the rules regarding the rotation of reservation of constituencies should be followed strictly and that there should not be any repetition in the reservations. The state election commission later filed a special leave petition (SLP) before the Supreme Court and subsequently announced the ZP polls schedule.

Mr Lal pointed out today that neither the Aurangabad HC nor the Supreme Court had imposed a stay on the ZP elections.

Replying to questions, Mr Lal said the Election Commission's guidelines on allotment of symbols to candidates sponsored by political parties were clear. A party's symbol would be allotted to the sponsored candidate who filed his nomination first, he said.

However, if the party concerned so wished, it could inform the returning officer the name of its official nominee, but within the deadline for the filing of nominations, Mr Lal said. Such communication would not be valid once the deadline is passed, he said.

There are several wards in Nagpur where more than one candidate have submitted nominations with authorisations to use the official symbol of the Congress party. The allotment of symbols is to take place on January 15.

UNI