New Delhi, Mar 29 (PTI) With the municipal polls in the national capital getting delayed over the Centre’s move to unify three corporations, the State Election Commission (SEC) of Delhi on Tuesday asked returning officers to allow employees requisitioned for the election to work in their respective departments.
The poll body, however, said that such staff will have to report at short notice to the returning officer concerned whenever required.
“Due to prevailing situations, where the Government of India has introduced a Bill in Parliament for unification of three Municipal Corporations of Delhi, general elections to municipal corporation(s) may take some time.
“Therefore, all the returning officers are hereby advised to allow the staff requisitioned by them for the purpose of general municipal elections, to work in their respective departments till further orders,” according to an order issued by the SEC.
Officials in the commission said the poll body had completed all preparations for the municipal polls which were to be conducted before May 18. The commission had requested additional staff from various Delhi government departments to smoothly conduct the election.
In its order, the SEC said, “Further, it is hereby clarified that the above officers/officials may not be relieved formally and shall report to the concerned returning officer for election related work at a short notice as and when required.” A bill to re-unify the three civic bodies — North, East and South — is likely to be passed in Lok Sabha soon.
According to the bill, the number of seats in the merged municipal corporation of Delhi will not exceed 250, and a special officer may be appointed to oversee its function till the first meeting of the body is held under the reunification law.
Earlier on March 9, the SEC had planned to announce the poll schedule. But it deferred the announcement after getting a communication from the Centre regarding the re-unification of civic bodies.
Later, the poll body had also sought a legal opinion on the matter. PTI AKM SMN SMN
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