UP Panchayat polls: SEC begins dispatch of ballot papers

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh State Election Commission has stepped up preparations for the upcoming three-tier panchayat elections, with the process of dispatching ballot papers to districts already underway.

Officials said around 60 crore ballot papers are to be sent across all districts, prompting the Commission to begin the exercise well in advance, as transportation and distribution are expected to take considerable time. The Commission has already released the first draft of the electoral rolls. The process of disposal of claims and objections is currently in progress. The final voter list is scheduled to be published on March 28.

Even as logistical preparations gather pace, the possibility of elections being held on schedule appears uncertain. The dedicated Other Backward Classes (OBC) Commission, which is mandatory before the conduct of panchayat polls, has not yet been constituted.

Commission officials said administrative preparations are being completed, but election dates can only be announced after the OBC Commission is formed and completes the required exercise related to reservation of seats.

Meanwhile, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has listed a public interest litigation on February 4 seeking directions to the state government to complete the process of constituting the OBC Commission before the panchayat elections.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Jaspreet Singh passed the order on Thursday on a PIL filed by local advocate Motilal Yadav. The petitioner has argued that under the law, the formation of the OBC Commission is mandatory prior to panchayat elections, as it is directly linked to the determination of reservation in local body seats.