The State Election Commission on Monday submitted before the Kerala High Court that there is no illegality in taking steps for conducting election to the office of the chairperson and deputy chairperson of the Eloor municipality .
In a statement, counsel Murali Purushothaman said that the commission is bound to conduct the elections at the municipality as soon as the vacancy occurred.
The commission filed the statement on a petition filed by Eloor municipal chairperson Lissy George seeking a directive to abandoned the move to convene a council meeting for the selection of a new chairperson. Counsel for the petitioner Sivan Madathil also sought a directive to declare illegal the no-confidence motion passed against the petitioner. Chairperson Lissy George was ousted in a no-confidence motion moved by the council members on September 17. In the 31-member council, 13 LDF councillors had voted for her ouster. The commission submitted that under Section 12 (8) of The Kerala Municipality Act 1994 provides that any casual vacancy for the post of the municipal chairperson should be reported by the secretary of the State Election Commission.
Further, the commission has taken steps for conducting the election, it said. “If the vacancy is left unfilled, the same would be at the peril of the citizens,” the commission pointed out.
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