BHOPAL: Special Leave Petition (SLP) has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking order for direct mayoral election in Madhya Pradesh.
The SLP, filed by activist Dr PG Najpandey, comes in wake of the state government changing its stand on the issue. Earlier, the government had said that there will be direct elections of mayors but later took a U-turn saying that the elected corporators would elect the mayor.
Dr Najpandey said that the High Court had approved direct election of mayor on December 10, 1997 on his petition. But the state government, on October 9, 2010, passed an ordinance for in-direct election of mayors. Najpandey filed a petition in the high court challenging the decision, however, the court turned down his petition. The activist said that he had even filed a review petition in high court and also an SLP in apex court seeking order for direct election of mayors in Madhya Pradesh.
Last year on September 26, the government took the decision on direct elections of mayor. The SC rejected his SLP on October 12, 2020.
Kamal Nath-led Congress government was always in favour of indirect election of mayor, however, BJP, then in opposition, advocated for direct polls. After coming back to power BJP government announced for direct election, however, soon it backtracked on its decision and now wants elected corporators to choose the mayor, said the activist. "And so again I have filed an SLP in the Supreme Court", he added.
As per the petition, SLP filed against the impugned order of HC of November 27, 2019 and impugned of HC of January 10, 2021.
In 1997, an amendment was made in MP Municipal Corporation Act and Municipality Act by virtue of the amendment of elections of the mayor through elections(voting through public). After, Madhya Pradesh Palika Vidhi(Sansodhan) Adhyadesh(ordinance) was published in MP Gazette October 9,2010.
