Supreme Court disposes SLP challenging rough draft of prabhags in AMC

Aurangabad, March 3:

A detailed hearing on a special leave petition (SLP) filed by a group of alert citizens challenging the formation of prabhags through delimitation of wards by Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) was held before the Supreme Court's bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana, Justice A S Bopanna and Justice Hima Kohli today.

The Apex Court disposed of the SLP after giving few instructions to the State Election Commission (SEC). As per the primary level information available, the SEC was directed to maintain strict confidentiality over the election process; conduct hearing as per norms regarding the procedure of declaring social reservation of wards/prabhags, etc.

About SLP?

It so happened that a large number of objections were filed over the AMC's rough draft on prabhags. The committee headed by the sugar commissioner Saurabh Rao conducted a hearing upon them. Later on, the State Election Commissioner published the final draft of prabhags (formed through delimitation of wards) and the list of socially reserved wards/prabhags. The action was challenged by Sameer Rajurkar, Anil Vidhate, Kishore Tulsibaughwale, Nandu Gaoli and Ganesh Dixit in the Aurangabad Bench of Bombay High Court. The bench rejected their plea, therefore, they all filed SLP in the Supreme Court.

Issues raised in SC

The petitioners pinpointed there was a breach of secrecy while preparing the rough draft of prabhags. They claimed that the delimitation of wards was done under the influence to provide convenience to the political leaders. Instead of

following SEC guidelines, the AMC officers reserved and unreserved the prabhags/wards as per the convenience. Moreover, the sugar commissioner conducted the hearings on objections, but the action and decision were taken by the SEC, etc.

The State Government, SEC and AMC were made as the opponents in the petition. The senior legal expert D S Kamat, Adv D P Palodkar and Adv Sashibhushan Aadgaonkar represented the petitioners.

Conduct the elections soon

Former group leader (AMC) Bhausaheb Jagtap said," I welcomed the Supreme Court's decision. There is an administrator on AMC for the last 22 months. The AMC elections should be held as early as possible. This will encourage the office-bearers and former corporators to gear up and resolve people's problems."