BPP election delay

The divisional bench of the Bombay High Court consisting of Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar and justice Dr D. Y. Chandrachud has set September 14, 2007 as the next date for hearing the The World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis (WAPIZ) petition challenging the holding of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) elections under the adult franchise scheme. The earlier date was August 13 but the matter did not come up for hearing.

At the previous hearing on June 19, 2007 justices R. M. S. Khandeparker and D. S. Karnik had clearly stated they were not stalling the electoral process. Justice A. M. Khanwilkar in his historic judgment delivered on April 5, 2007 had directed the BPP to hold the elections by October 2007. The BPP lawyers also advised the trustees to proceed with the electoral preparations.

The BPP needs some clarifications on technical points but has still to approach Khanwilkar for clarifications. Thus by stalling the elections process, the BPP appears to be defaulting on the directives of both the courts.

In a public notice published in the Jam-e-Jamshed Weekly dated August 5, 2007, the BPP has clarified the current status of elections to that august body under the universal adult franchise scheme. Chief executive Behram T. Dastur has, by order of the trustees, stated therein that the BPP has tentatively fixed a program for holding elections following the High Court order by Justice A. M. Khanwilkar dated April 5, 2007. However, as various intervenors have filed an appeal in the High Court against the said order, which is to be heard on August 13, 2007, and certain clarifications are to be obtained on the order, the trustees are at present unable to announce the date and detailed program for the holding of elections. These will be announced only after the appeal is heard and disposed of by the High Court and appropriate clarifications obtained from Justice Khanwilkar.

The BPP’s notice mentions that a plethora of public notices and advertisements are being issued by various groups on their own volition, and cautions members of the Parsi/Irani Zoroastrian community to heed only those issued by the BPP as other notices would not be binding on it.

Regarding registration of voters the BPP is in the process of creating a special website, www.bppvoterslist.org. When this becomes operational from August 14, 2007, voters will be able to check online whether their names have been registered or not. They will be enabled to search for information by name or certificate number in both the General as well as Donor Register. Printouts may be taken, but voters will not be able to modify the data in any way as there will be safeguards against tampering with the information provided on the website.