Shimla, Apr 1 (PTI) The BJP legislators on Wednesday protested against the recent Himachal government notification authorising district commissioners to make changes in the reservation roster for up to 5 per cent panchayats, seeing it as a move to postpone the local body elections.

They staged a protest at the Himachal Pradesh Assembly complex in Shimla and raised slogans against Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and the state government.

The Congress government issued a notification giving authority to district commissioners to adjust the reservation roster up to five per cent, said Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur, alleging that the state government is employing various tactics to delay the polls and the chief minister remains adamant in his stance.

He said the reservation roster, integral to the elections, is being deliberately delayed and asserted that the government is attempting to alter the rules by issuing notifications with retrospective effect, a move he deemed entirely improper.

The move could potentially compromise the electoral process, Thakur asserted.

Panchayati Raj and Urban bodies elections in the state, to be held before May 31, are going to take place as per the 2011 census.

Consequently, the population of many castes and classes has changed, and a provision for a five per cent change in the reservation roster is designed to allow the deputy commissioner to make changes, particularly where a community has been discriminated against due to a shift in population composition, the officials maintained. PTI BPL AMJ AMJ