Ranchi: The Jharkhand High Court on Wednesday strongly criticized the state government for failing to hold municipal elections despite repeated orders. The court expressed deep displeasure, stating that the government had disobeyed its directions, and initiated contempt proceedings against top bureaucrats, including Chief Secretary Alka Tiwari.
Justice Ananda Sen’s bench issued notices to the Chief Secretary, former Urban Development Principal Secretary Vinay Chaubey, and IAS officers Vandana Dadel and Gyanesh Kumar, directing them to appear in person at the next hearing on October 14. The court also warned that charges for willful disobedience would be framed against them.
The state argued that it was in the process of completing the “triple test” to determine OBC reservations in urban local bodies, after which polls would be held. The court, however, dismissed this reasoning, remarking that the government was disregarding both the law and judicial orders.
The contempt case was filed by outgoing Ranchi Municipal Corporation councillor Roshni Khalkho, who approached the court after its January 4, 2024 order—directing elections within three weeks—was ignored.
Despite the expiry of all municipal bodies’ tenure in April 2023, elections have been repeatedly postponed under the pretext of the pending OBC quota process. For over two years now, urban governance has been handled by administrators instead of elected representatives.
With inputs from IANS