The Allahabad High Court on Thursday quashed an Uttar Pradesh government order discontinuing the usual election to municipal and other urban local bodies on party lines.
A bench comprising chief justice F I Rebello and Justice Dilip Gupta ordered restoration of the old practice of elections on party lines only. While also rejecting the state government's application for allowing some time for moving an appeal before the Supreme Court, the court held the government order as "illegal" and "unconstitutional"
The HC order has come as a major blow to the Mayawati government, which did not want the elections on party lines simply because of the party's poor influence in urban areas, it was felt.
After the state government issued the ban order in June 2010, all political parties rose up in arms and moved separate representations to the Governor, urging him not to sign the bill in that regard. At the same time, some persons had also moved petitions before the Allahabad HC.
The elections were due in the month of JulyAugust. However, the UP government intends to challenge the order in the apex court.
