SHILLONG: The intervention of the Prime Minister was sought for the delay in holding municipal polls in the state.
Pawan Sharma, who had filed a PIL on the matter, said in his letter that there is undue delay in holding the civic polls.
The letter was also addressed to the Chief Justice of India and the Union Minister in-charge Law.
Sharma in the petition sent on Saturday said part IX -A of the Constitution provides for elected civic body and since Meghalaya came into being in 1972, no election was held.
He reminded that earlier after he had approached the Gauhati High Court for appropriate relief by way of PIL, the court had ordered holding of election.
Though the Meghalaya government had appealed to the Supreme Court, the latter in an order on October 10, 1999, had directed the government to hold the polls within six months, but it was not followed up, Sharma said.
Subsequently, after hearing another PIL filed by Sharma, the High Court of Meghalaya on April 11 this year directed the government to hold the polls expeditiously.
“But even after seven months, the government has not done anything,” he said.
“Now, if I approach the Supreme Court, they would say that the order is 18 years old and the High Court will say there is no specific date for election, so no contempt lies,” he said.
According to Sharma, when approached, the state government said it was busy preparing for the Assembly polls to be held sometime in February.
“Now, I am at a loss as to whom to approach for upholding the avowed provisions of the Constitution,” he said.
