India News | Officials Associated with Govts Cannot Work as State Election Commissioners: SC
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. The Supreme Court Friday held that a person associated or employed with the Centre or the state government cannot work as a state election commissioner, who need to be an independent person.
New Delhi, Mar 12 (PTI) The Supreme Court Friday held that a person associated or employed with the Centre or the state government cannot work as a state election commissioner, who need to be an independent person.
The judgement came on an appeal by the Goa government against the high court's ruling on panchayat polls.
The bench said election commissioners have to be independent persons and no state can appoint a person who holds any office with the government.
A bench headed by Justice R F Nariman also directed the Goa state election body to issue the notification for the panchayat polls within 10 days from today and complete the poll process by April 30.
Under the Constitutional mandate, it is the duty of the state to not interfere with the functioning of the state election commission, it held.
It took strong note of the fact that Goa government has given its Law Secretary the additional charge of State Election Commissioner.PTI ABA SJK MNL
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)