Ranchi – On Friday, the Jharkhand High Court issued a scathing rebuke to the state government for failing to conduct municipal elections as ordered in January 2024.
The court highlighted the government’s continued disregard for constitutional order and summoned the Chief Secretary to personally attend the next hearing.
The case stems from a contempt petition filed by Roshni Khalkho, former councillor of Ranchi Municipal Corporation, over the delay.
Justice Ananda Sen’s earlier directive to hold elections within three weeks was ignored, prompting legal action.
Advocate Vinod Singh, representing the petitioner, pushed for contempt proceedings against the government.
Since April 2023, when the term of urban local bodies ended, elections have not been held due to the pending finalization of OBC quotas via the ‘triple test’ formula.
With the process still incomplete, state-appointed administrators have been running local governance, leaving elected representatives without a role for over two years.
With inputs from IANS