High Court Issues Notice To Karnataka Govt On State Election Commission's Plea Seeking Final Reservation List In Municipality Wards

The Karnataka High Court on Monday issued notice to the State government on a public interest litigation filed by the State Election Commission seeking a direction to issue the final notifications of reservation of seats to all the wards of 187 Municipalities, under section 13(1)(d) of the Karnataka Municipalities Act, 1964.

A division bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C M Poonacha ordered, “Issue notice to the respondent. List on December 11. The respondent shall file counter affidavit traversing the averments before the next date of hearing.”

The SEC has prayed for a direction to the state government to take immediate action and issue the final reservation notifications under section 42(2-a) of the Karnataka Municipalities Act, 1964, for the post of Adyaksha and Upadhyaksha (President and Vice President) to all the 187 urban local bodies simultaneously along with the final reservation notifications for wards.

Last week the court had issued notice to the state government on a similar petition filed by SEC seeking a direction to take immediate action and issue the final notifications of reservation of seats under section 5(5) of the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj Act, 1993 in respect of 5,950 Gram Panchayats whose terms will expire by January 2026.

During the hearing of that petitioner the court had orally said “This is a serious matter, take instructions.”

Both the petitions will be heard next on December 11.

Case Title: State Election Commission AND State Of Karnataka

Case No: WP 33843/2025