Explain how wards were reserved: Delhi HC

NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Thursday asked the state election commission to explain the manner in which it reserved wards for women and reserved categories in upcoming municipal polls.
A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Chander Shekhar issued notice to the commission and directed them to file an affidavit explaining the allotment by March 16. HC’s poser came while hearing petitions filed by a few NGOs challenging the poll panel’s February 6 notification where it announced election for 272 wards of the three municipal corporations which are to be held next month.But HC has declined to stay the process.
The petitioners have sought quashing of the January 13 order with regard to delimitation of 272 wards with the composition of wards in each assembly constituency.
They say while the number of wards in each of the three corporations – 104 each in South Delhi Municipal Corporation and North Delhi Municipal Corporation and 64 in East Delhi Municipal Corporation — has remained the same, the number of wards in a few assembly segments has changed, ranging from three to seven.
In 2012, ahead of the civic elections, a notification was issued regarding allocation of wards amongst schedule caste, women and general category, the pleas stated.
Claiming that the present notification was contrary to the Constitution as well as Section 3 of the DMC Act, a plea demanded that it should be quashed and a fresh circular issued in accordance with the law.