The commission’s petition argues that the election process has been disrupted mid-way, and a continuation of the stay would lead to further resource wastage and potentially delay the democratic exercise at the grassroots level. The SEC is hopeful for a favourable ruling on Monday to allow the polls to proceed as scheduled. Election symbols for candidates in the ongoing Panchayat polls will only be allotted after 2 pm on Monday, contingent on the High Court’s decision earlier that day, sources within the State Election Commission revealed.However, uncertainty persists regarding the eligibility of individuals registered on two separate voter lists to contest the Panchayat elections. Despite this lingering ambiguity, nominations for thousands of Panchayat posts have already been filed, with the deadline for withdrawing candidatures, July 11, now passed. Polling for these elections is scheduled for July 24 and 28. Speaking to TNIE, activist Shakti Prasad Barthwal, the petitioner in this case, stated: “Both the Panchayati Raj Act and our Constitution clearly stipulate that a citizen of this country can exercise their right to vote in only one place as an elector. The court upheld our argument, but the State Election Commission has turned this into a matter of prestige and is attempting to sow the seeds of a wrong precedent in Uttarakhand. They should respect the court’s order.”
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