Can Gram Sabha be convened on Ambedkar Jayanti, Congress asks EC

Congress has sought directions from Election Commission over holding of mandatory Gram Sabha meeting in state during the imposition of election model code of conduct. State media vice president Bhupendra Gupta said party has written to ECI seeking advice on convening Gram Sabha on April 14. He informed that the mandatory meetings/ sittings of the Gram Sabha takes place on Republic Day (January 26), Independence Day (August 15), Gandhi Jayanti (October 2) and Dr Ambedkar Jayanti (April 14).

Since Dr Ambedkar Jayanti is approaching the party has sought clarification from the ECI if the Gram Sabha meeting can be organised when the model code of conduct is in force. The party wants to understand if guidelines/instructions of Election Commission were legally binding on Gram Sabha.

If the agenda of the Gram Sabha is political then can the EC refrain it from doing so, the party asked in the letter. It further wanted to understand if the decision of the Gram Sabha cannot be challenged then what stand would commission take in public interest. Stating that constitutional status of the Gram Sabha is supreme and remains unchallenged, Gupta opined that since it draws powers from the Constitution therefore regulatory guidelines may or may not be applicable on it.