S Gopal Puri
Dharamshala
In a heated 2nd Day session of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu stated that provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 could be applied to the Election Commission if necessary to conduct elections in the state. The announcement came amid severe weather and flood-related devastation across Himachal Pradesh.
The Chief Minister highlighted that the recent monsoon had caused extensive damage in the state, including landslides, cloudbursts, and flash floods, resulting in disrupted roads, bridges, and essential infrastructure. Sukhu emphasized that holding elections before completing relief and rehabilitation work would not be appropriate. The state government has already declared Himachal Pradesh a “disaster-affected state” to facilitate relief operations.
The statement triggered a strong reaction from opposition parties. Leaders, including Jai Ram Thakur, criticized the move, claiming that the government was using the disaster as a pretext to delay elections, which could undermine democratic rights. The opposition staged a walkout from the Assembly in protest.
Tensions between the state government and the Election Commission had been simmering over voter lists, constituency delimitation, and election preparedness. The CM’s statement is likely to further delay local body and panchayat elections, while the Election Commission insists that elections should proceed according to schedule.
Legal experts note that the situation raises constitutional questions regarding the postponement of elections and the matter may attract judicial scrutiny if disagreements continue.
