PATNA, July 4 -- The State Election Commission (SEC) has intensified its preparation for the upcoming panchayat polls in the state by having already requisitioned multi post EVMs and completing the process of determination of boundaries of panchayat bodies, even as a section of panchayat representatives, mainly Mukhiyas, have now moved the court demanding polls be conducted following the Supreme Court guidelines on reservations of seats. Mithilesh Kumar Rai, president of Mukhiya Association, said the organisation has moved court putting forth the issues that delimitation of the panchayat seats and reservations as per the triple test based on empirical data of political backwardness of OBCs was necessary for conduct of the polls as per norms. "We have filed a writ petition in the Patna high court on the plea that delimitation exercise of panchayat bodies should be done and there should also be a dedicated commission formed to ascertain the political backwardness of OBCs through the empirical data to be collected as per triple test criteria according to guidelines of the Supreme Court," Rai said. The association president maintained that the SEC or the panchayati raj department has not initiated any move to set up a dedicated commission to collect data of the political backwardness of OBCs for giving reservation of seats in the panchayat bodies so far. "The delimitation exercise of panchayat bodies too is not happening. We do not understand why the delimitation of panchayat bodies could not happen as per the 2011 census figures. There is no point in holding polls when these exercises are not being done," said Rai. Sources in the panchayat raj department maintained the reservation of seats in panchayat bodies as per the norms would be done by the SEC and the process would begin soon. "The reservation of seats would be done as per the earlier formula," said an official in the panchayat raj department. A few days back, panchayati raj department minister Deepak Prakash told newsmen that panchayat polls would be held on time and all the processes required would be completed by August end. "Panchayat polls would be held on time," the minister said. The last panchayat polls in Bihar was held in 2021 when the electoral process had started from mid-August and the elections were held in a phase wise manner till December. Meanwhile, the SEC has intensified the preparations for the upcoming panchayat polls by having completing the publication of form-1 which is the determination of the boundaries of panchayat bodies. Sources said that the multi post EVMs, to be used in the panchayat polls for the first time, is also being requisitioned as per the requirement. Around 3000 to 3200 EVMs would be purchased by the SEC, officials said. "Preparations are going on for the panchayat polls. The process of reservation of seats in panchayat bodies will soon begin," said a source in the SEC. There are around 2.60 lakh posts in the three tier panchayat bodies comprising gram panchayats, panchayat samities and district boards as well as gram kutcharies in the state....