Prayagraj: The Allahabad high court on Friday directed the state government to file its reply (counter affidavit) in response to a writ petition challenging the draft notification dated March 30, 2023, issued by the state government by which objections have been invited from the stakeholders in respect of reservation of seats for the forthcoming local bodies elections in the state.
Hearing a writ petition filed by Abhinav Tripathi, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker and Justice Saumitra Dayal Singh directed the state government to decide all objections found till April 6, 2023, regarding the local bodies’ election in accordance with law. The court also directed that this order would apply to other similar cases wherein objections may have been filed within that time. The court directed to list this case on May 15 for the next hearing. Besides raising a challenge to the notification, another prayer was sought seeking a mandamus upon the state government to decide the petitioner’s objection dated April 6, 2023. The submission of the the petitioner’s counsel was that the state is bound to decide all objections that have been received by the state government on April 6, 2023, up to 6:00 p.m. within the timelines indicated in draft notification dated March 30, 2023, including the objection filed by the present petitioner.
Appearing on behalf of the state government, the state counsel submitted that he does not have any objection to the above noted submission advanced by the counsel for the petitioner, as according to him the state authorities are bound to consider all objections filed within the time, all over the state of UP, in accordance with law.