The Jharkhand High Court on Thursday directed the state government to announce the dates of municipal elections in the state within three weeks. The court has made strict remarks on the state government for delay in conducting elections even after the tenure of the municipal bodies has expired. The High Court observed that by delay in conducting elections, the state government has caused constitutional and spatial breakdown. Outgoing councillor of Ranchi Municipal Corporation Roshni Khalkho and others had filed a petition in the High Court against the government for not holding the elections even after the completion of the tenure of the local urban bodies. .

The court has ordered the state government to announce the elections in three weeks. This case was heard in the court of High Court judge Justice Anand Sen. In this regard, outgoing councillors Roshni Khalkho and Arun Jha have filed a petition. Advocate Vinod Singh argued on his behalf

The outgoing councillors have said in their petition that the tenure of the municipal councillors has ended. The government should hold elections before the completion of its five-year term. This is also mentioned in Section 20 of the Municipal Act. Many works have been affected due to the Municipal Corporation elections not being held. All the work related to the public has been handed over to the officers. People are facing a lot of problems due to this decision of the government.

In Jharkhand, elections of 14 municipal bodies are pending since 2000. Apart from Ranchi, Hazaribagh, Giridih, Medininagar, Garhwa, Chatra, Madhupur, Godda, Sahibganj, Pakur, Mihijam, Adityapur Municipal Corporation, Chirkunda, Phusro, Gumla, Lohardaga, Simdega, Ramgarh, Chaibasa, Kapali, Nagar Untari, Hussainabad, Chhatarpur, The civic boards of Latehar, Domchanch, Rajmahal, Barharwa, Basukinath, Jamtara, Khunti, Bundu and Seraikela-Kharsawan have also been dissolved.

In the month of May 2020 itself, apart from Deoghar, Chas Municipal Corporation, Dhanbad, the tenure of Vishrampur, Jhumri Tilaiya, Gomia, Chakradharpur Municipal Council and Koderma, Badki Sariya, Dhanwar, Hariharganj, Bachra and Mahagama Nagar Panchayat was completed, whereas in the month of May itself, the tenure of the remaining 34 municipal bodies was also completed. At present the work of the bodies is being done under the supervision of the officials. But after the High Court's order announcing the election date, everyone heaved a sigh of relief.

Though the HC has directed the government to finalise dates for municipal elections, the task is not easy as there has been demand from various quarters for holding municipal elections with reservation to OBC.

The State government has decided to conduct a triple test so that elections for civic bodies could be held with reservation for OBC followed by which Civic body elections could be held.