FPJ Legal: Petition filed in Supreme Court against indirect election of Mayor in Madhya Pradesh

Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh): A social organisation, Nagrik Upbhokta Margdarshak Manch, has filed a petition in the supreme court challenging the decision of the state government to conduct indirect mayoral elections.

President of the organisation, PG Najpandey said that an act was implemented in the year 1997 to promote democracy in which the mayor would be elected by the people. The act was followed for the three terms of the election. The High Court had also upheld the same law.

But when the Kamal Nath government came to power, the government changed the act by bringing an ordinance. They implemented the provision of indirect election of the mayor.

After that Najpade filed a public interest litigation in the MP High Court. The high court, however, dismissed this petition, a review petition was also filed, but that too was dismissed.

The petitioner challenged the decisions of the High Court in the Supreme Court, meanwhile, after the change of power the Shivraj government reversed the decision of the Kamal Nath government and decided to conduct re-election in a direct way.

After that order, the petitioner had withdrawn the petition from the Supreme Court. But again, the Shivraj government changed its decision and decided to conduct an indirect election of Mayor by the councilors.

Now, a fresh petition has been filed in the Supreme Court in this regard. The hearing into the matter would be scheduled soon. Advocate Akshat Shrivastava would be the council for the petitioner.