The State Government is mulling a decision to challenge a ruling of the Orissa High Court in the Supreme Court with regard to the issue of limiting the reservation of seats in the Urban local Bodies (UlBs) to 50 per cent.
The High Court in May this year had reiterated that the reservation of seats for UlBs cannot exceed 50 per cent as per several rulings passed by the Supreme Court in this context. The High Court had, however, allowed the Government to breach the 50-per cent limit only in the Scheduled Areas as mentioned in the Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act of 1996.
Even as the High Court had passed this ruling two months ago on May 9, the Government has decided to challenge it in the apex court now. Director of Municipal Affairs Sangram Naik told reporters in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday that the Government would move the Supreme Court soon in a Special leave Petition (SlP) challenging the May 9 order of the High Court seeking extension of reservation of seats for SEBC candidates along with reservation provided for SC, ST and OBC candidates.
The decision of the Government to challenge the High Court order, however, drew flak from the Opposition BJP and Congress. They alleged that the ruling BJD by trying to litigate the matter now aims at postponing the UlB elections which are scheduled in November-December this year.
“After the setback it suffered in the Panchayat elections last year, the BJD is fearing to face the municipal elections before the 2019 general elections,” an Opposition leader said.