Fadnavis criticises state election panel for postponing local body polls, calls decision ‘legally wrong’ | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar News – The Times of India – Bns Sections.

CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday sharply criticised the State Election Commission’s decision to postpone the upcoming municipal council elections in a number of civic our bodies throughout Maharashtra as “arbitrary, legally indefensible and deeply unfair to hundreds of candidates who had completed their campaigning and preparations”. He mentioned govt would submit an in depth illustration to the fee, asking it to rethink the decision.Speaking to reporters in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Fadnavis mentioned the State Election Commission (SEC) “misinterpreted the law” when deciding to postpone the polls. He cautioned that permitting such selections to face might set up a harmful precedent through which elections could be repeatedly stalled by means of litigation.“Cancelling these elections is extremely wrong. If this approach is taken, everyone will go to court every time, and then the election will be postponed. This has never happened before,” he mentioned.Fadnavis mentioned the SEC had not clarified which legislation or authorized interpretation it relied upon whereas suspending the election course of. “I have no idea which law the Election Commission is citing or whose advice the Election Commission is taking. But based on the law I have seen, the extent of my legal study, and having spoken to many lawyers… the consensus is that elections cannot be postponed in this manner just because one person went to court,” he mentioned.He cited the instance of the Nilanga Municipal Council, the place “the entire process was complete” earlier than a rejected candidate challenged his exclusion. “If we take the example of Nilanga, Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar spoke to me yesterday (Sunday). In Nilanga, the entire process was complete. Someone whose form was rejected went to court. The court rejected his form. Why was it accepted?” he requested. “Postponing the election here just because someone filed a petition is extremely wrong,” he added.Fadnavis described the decision as an “injustice” to candidates and local voters, arguing that final-minute postponement inflicted vital losses on those that had invested time, assets and energy. “My opinion is that legally, the Election Commission postponing the elections is completely wrong. What an injustice this is to those candidates who honestly completed all the formalities. You postponed the elections today, which were supposed to take place tomorrow. Their (candidates’) efforts and hard work are all wasted,” he mentioned.He additionally criticised the extension of the marketing campaign interval, calling it an pointless burden. “Now, having to campaign again for 15-20 days, I feel this is extremely wrong,” he mentioned, stressing that state govt would increase the difficulty formally. “Certainly, the election will take place, but we will definitely give a representation to the Election Commission regarding this, stating that postponing elections in this manner would be wrong.“Denying allegations of govt interference, Fadnavis clarified that the city improvement division had no function within the SEC decision. “The urban development department has no connection to this. The connection here is solely with the Election Commission. The Election Commission is fully autonomous,” he mentioned, including that a number of collectors had additionally expressed issues throughout a video convention held earlier than the postponement order was issued.Though he acknowledged the SEC’s constitutional autonomy, Fadnavis maintained sturdy disagreement with its end result. “They have the right to make decisions. But my opinion is that this decision is wrong,” he mentioned.