1st FASTag barrier in high Himalayan region opens
A FASTag barrier has been made operational near the Badrinath Dham at a staggering altitude of 10,279 feet — a first in a high Himalayan region. The new system allows for digital payment of ecotourism fees for all passenger vehicles. District Magistrate Sandeep Tewari virtually inaugurated the barrier. Highlighting the need for the barrier, he expressed, 'A manual collection (of fees) meant long queues of vehicles, causing inconvenience to the pilgrims.' He had long advocated for its installation in the area in line with the NHIDCL guidelines to streamline pilgrim movement.
State's charm captivates foreign dignitaries
A delegation of ambassadors and high commissioners from eight nations that arrived in Bhararisain, Uttarakhand's summer capital, on International Yoga Day were left spellbound by the region's pristine natural beauty, lush green valleys and clean environment. And why wouldn't they be? Upon their arrival at the Assembly complex, the dignitaries were greeted with a vibrant display of the hill state's rich folk culture — a Chholiya dance performance. Mesmerised by the scenic vistas and traditional welcome, the guests waxed poetic about Gairsain, describing the unique blend of culture and natural splendour as 'rich in every aspect'.
Election proceedings for panchayat polls put off
Uttarakhand State Election Commissioner Sushil Kumar has indefinitely postponed all election proceedings, including nominations for the proposed three-tier panchayat elections. The decision follows an order of the Uttarakhand High Court issued on Monday. In the case of 'Ganesh Dutt Kandpal vs the State of Uttarakhand', the court ruled that 'due to the promulgation of reservation rules for panchayat elections not being notified, reservation determination and the entire proceedings related to it are postponed till further orders'. The nominations were originally scheduled to be held from Wednesday to Saturday.
Narendra sethi
Our correspondent in Uttarakhand
narendrasethi@newindianexpress.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
12 hours ago
- Indian Express
Uttarakhand High Court vacates stay on panchayat elections
Observing that the repetition of reservation in seats is minuscule and in compliance with Article 243D of the Constitution, the Uttarakhand High Court vacated the stay on panchayat elections and ordered that the process be resumed. The pleas, which prompted the stay on June 23, were by a clutch of petitioners arguing that the government's decision to nullify the existing reservation rotation for the panchayat polls and bring about a new rotation has prevented them from being able to contest. Under the reservation rotation system, constituencies are reserved for various categories for three terms, after which the quota goes to other seats. With a new rotation starting this year, the petitioner had said a seat that had been reserved for the last three terms would again be reserved this year, preventing him from contesting the election. The division bench of Chief Justice G Narender and Justice Alok Mahra heard the counsel for the government who argued that the repetition was conducted on the recommendations of a report by a committee and was in compliance with the provisions of Article 234 D of the Constitution (pertaining to the reservation of seat in Panchayati Raj system). While arguing, the counsel for the state had relied on the Supreme Court's verdicts on withholding elections. 'The apex court has held that withholding election is a breach of constitutional mandate, for any reason, and even the SC cannot do it, even under article 142. This constitutional mandate that elections should proceed at any cost is inviolable,' the Advocate General had said. On Friday, the HC said that the rulings of the Supreme Court that the counsel relied on elucidated one invariable rule that the constitutional courts may stall the election process where there is no compliance with the constitutional mandate regarding reservation under Article 243-D of the Constitution of India. Aiswarya Raj is a correspondent with The Indian Express who covers South Haryana. An alumna of Asian College of Journalism and the University of Kerala, she started her career at The Indian Express as a sub-editor in the Delhi city team. In her current position, she reports from Gurgaon and covers the neighbouring districts. She likes to tell stories of people and hopes to find moorings in narrative journalism. ... Read More
The Hindu
13 hours ago
- The Hindu
Uttarakhand HC clears path for panchayat polls
New Delhi The Uttarakhand High Court on Friday vacated its interim stay on the upcoming panchayat elections, allowing the electoral process to move forward while directing the State government to respond to allegations regarding irregularities in the reservation roster. A Bench comprising Chief Justice G. Narendar and Justice Alok Mahara passed the order while hearing multiple petitions challenging the reservation allocations for the rural body elections. The stay, originally issued on June 23, just two days after the State had announced the election schedule, had stalled polls that were set to take place on July 10 and 15, with results scheduled for July 19. Over a dozen petitions were filed by residents from various districts, raising concerns about repeated allocation of seats to the same social groups over successive terms. The petitioners alleged that such practices violate Article 243 of the Constitution and go against various Supreme Court judgments. They contended that seats for block pramukh and district panchayat president were not being rotated fairly among different categories. In response, the state government informed the court that it had revised the previous reservation roster following observations made by the National Commission for Backward Classes, necessitating a new list for the current elections. After examining submissions from both sides, the court noted that while there were some instances of repetition in reserved seats, the number was negligible when compared to the total number of seats. It also observed that new panchayats had been created following delimitation, contributing to the apparent irregularities. 'Petitioners have raised various contentions, including the validity of Rule 4(4), and argued that even general category seats reserved for women should fall within the 50% reservation ceiling. Prima facie, this argument does not appeal to the Bench,' the court noted in its order. The court has directed the State Election Commission to release a revised election schedule, extending the previously announced dates by four days. It also ordered the state government to file its response to the allegations within three weeks. The matter will next be heard on July 28.
The Hindu
19 hours ago
- The Hindu
Uttarakhand High Court vacates stay on panchayat elections
The Uttarakhand High Court on Friday (June 27, 2025) vacated the stay on rural body elections in the State. It ordered the State government to respond to petitions alleging irregularities in the reservation roster for the polls. A Bench of Chief Justice G. Narendar and Justice Alok Mahara vacated the stay on panchayat elections while hearing the petitions challenging the reservation roster. The stay was announced on June 23, just two days after the State had announced the schedule for the polls, which were earlier slated for July 10 and 15. The results of the elections were scheduled to be announced on July 19. Over a dozen pleas filed by residents of different districts alleged mismanagement in the allocation of reservation in block pramukh and district panchayat president seats. The petitioners claimed that several seats in the reservation roster, issued by the State, were under representation of the same class for a long time in violation of Article 243 and Supreme Court orders passed from time to time. Responding to the petitioners, the State had informed the court that after the report of the National Commission for Backward Classes, it was necessary to declare the previous reservation roster as void and issue a fresh one for the current panchayat elections. The Bench observed that the number of repetitions in the reservation roster, as pointed out by the petitioners, in comparison with the total seats is miniscule. It is also pointed out that after the delimitation exercise, certain new panchayats have been carved out. The court directed the State Election Commission to release a fresh poll schedule. The State government was asked to respond to the issues raised by the petitioners within three weeks. The case will now be heard on July 28.
