Kerala local body polls on 2010 delimitation: Court

Kochi, Aug 20  The Kerala High Court on Thursday upheld its single judge's verdict directing the local bodies polls be held on the basis of the 2010 ward delimitation, instead on basis of the recent delimitation. The state government said it will not challenge the ruling.

The order was pronounced by a division bench. 

The Kerala government wanted the entire polls to be held on basis of the recent delimitation, while the State Election Commission (SEC) preferred the 2010 delimitation. The government was hoping that they would be able to get a stay on the single bench verdict which did not approve of 69 new panchayats and four new municipalities created following the delimitation. 

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy however said that the state government will not go in for an appeal against this verdict.

"We will cooperate with the SEC and ensure that the polls will be held on time," he told reporters, after hearing about the verdict.

State Panchayats Minister M.K.Muneer said that the government will now talk to the SEC and go ahead.

State Election Commissioner K.Sasidharan Nair told reporters in the capital city there is no standoff between the SEC and the state government and all issues will be resolved.

According to the rules, the cut off date for the polls is October because the newly elected local bodies will have to assume office on November 1.

Polls will be held to 21,682 seats in the three tier local body structure, in which 50 percent seats are reserved for women candidates.

In the 2010 local body elections, the Congress-led United Democratic Front won more than 50 percent of the total seats.