As expected the State Government has appointed District Magistrates as administrators in the Urban local bodies (UlB) of the State. The term of Municipal councils and Nagar Panchayats is ending on May 3 and the process of elections in these bodies has got delayed due to which the State Government was left with no option but to appoint administrators. The notification released by the Secretary Urban Development department R K Sudhanshu on Wednesday mentions that the administrators would only be taking routine decision during this period.
The elections of the UlB in the state have been delayed as the notification of the State Government on increasing the municipal limits of UlB was challenged and subsequently turned down by the Uttarakhand High Court. The appointment of the administrators is necessitated as the Supreme Court (SC) in a landmark judgement in Kishan Singh Tomar Vs Municipal Corporation of Ahmedabad had clearly stated that an election to constitute a municipality should be completed before the expiry of its term.
However in special cases the elections can be postponed for a period of six months and in such a case administrators are appointed in these bodies as term of the elected body ends in five years, the order States.