EARLY TIMES REPORT
Srinagar, Sept 7: The government on Monday deferred by three more months the elections to the post of Mayor Srinagar Municipal Corporation in wake of an amendment made to the rules today itself.
The post of Mayor SMC fell vacant on June 16 and was to be filled up within a period of one month in terms of Section 36 of the Jammu & Kashmir Municipal Corporation Act, 2000. However, on July 15 the election was deferred till September 15 in terms of the amendment made by the government in the rules, citing the health pandemic due to COVID-19.
Now the government inserted the third proviso to sub-section (2) of section 36 of J&K Municipal Corporation Act, 2000, notified vide SO 282 today which provides: "Provided also that the Government may, if the circumstances so warrant, on account of reasons of security, public health including health pandemic, natural calamity such as floods, earthquake, snowstorm or an event of a similar or any other reason which is a hindrance to the conduct of the election of the Mayor or the Deputy Mayor, by reasons to be recorded in writing, extend the time limit of conducting the elections up to a maximum of six months from the date the office of the Mayor or the Deputy Mayor falls vacant." Subsequent to it, the government has ordered: “Now, therefore, in terms of the above proviso of Section 36 (2) of J&K Municipal Corporation Act, 2000, in supersession of Government Order No. 158-JK(HUD) of 2020 dated 15.7.2010 and in view of the difficulty in the conduct of the election to the post of Mayor, SMC due to health pandemic-COVID-19 and management protocol related to it issued by District Magistrate, Srinagar (Chairman, District Disaster Management Authority Srinagar), the Government hereby extends the time limit for the conduct of said election to six months from the date, the office of the Mayor fell vacant (June 16). |
