BENGALURU: The High Court on Thursday observed that there is no impediment in announcing the schedule of elections to 5,800 gram panchayats in the state. The State Election Commission has sought time to take instructions on the issue of announcing the dates for the elections.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka was hearing the PIL filed by Congress MLC K C Kondaiah and others. The petition had challenged the constitutional validity of the May 28, 2020, notification issued by the State Election Commission, temporarily postponing the elections to gram panchayats.

The report filed by the Election Commission stated that the final voters’ list and the reservation notifications have been published in the month of August.

"Prima facie there is no impediment in announcing the schedule of elections which is already overdue," the bench said.

Meanwhile, the issue of release of funds required to conduct the election came up during the hearing.

The election commission stated that though, initially, it had asked for Rs 250 crore, it subsequently said it required approximately Rs 210 crore for the election. The government submitted that the Finance department had agreed to fund only to the extent of Rs 125 crore.

The bench said normally state governments comply with the funds required for holding the elections since the State Election Commission is an authority created under the Constitution to conduct elections.

The bench asked the government to sort out the issue immediately and ensure that the funds required for the elections are sanctioned and released. The matter has been posted to October 9.