SC to hear on Aug 27 Karnataka Election Commission petition

New Delhi, Aug 14 (UNI) The Supreme Court will hear on August 27 the petition filed by Karnataka Election Commission seeking directions to the state government as well to the state High Court not to interfere with the elections of the urban local bodies in the state.

The petition was today mentioned before a bench comprising Justices H K Sema and Lokeshwar Singh Panta for an urgent hearing, but the court refused to give an early date.

The commission has also prayed to stay the operation of the High Court order dated August 7, 2007 staying the elections of municipal bodies in the state on a PIL. The petitioner has complained that politically motivated and orchestrated PILs are being filed in the High Court and the elections are being stayed time and again.

Elections for these bodies became due in 2006 and notification was issued in April 2007 and the elections were due to be held between August 17 and August 30, 2007.

According to the petitioner, the High Court has been interfering with the election process in violation of the law laid down by this court that once the elections have been notified, no court will interfere with the election process.

UNI