Admins to supervise as panchayat polls delayed
FIRST TIME Stalemate between local body and election commission led to the situation
JAIPUR: For the first time in Rajasthan, administrators will be appointed in panchayati raj institutions where members complete their terms on February 7 as elections have been stayed by the Supreme Court.
The election process has been delayed due to a stalemate between the panchayati raj department and the state election commission.
The Panchayati Raj regulations state that works in the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samitis is to be done by elected representatives - development works, budgeting funds transfer and implementation of schemes is done by the panchayats.
In absence of elected representatives, these will be looked after by the administrators appointed by the government.
An official in the Panchayati Raj department said the department is considering appointing that administrators where elections cannot be completed in time.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has attacked the state government. Rajendra Rathore, deputy l eader of opposition i n t he assembly and former Panchayat Raj minister said this is the first time that panchayat polls are not being held in time and administrators will have to be appointed.
The Supreme Court had on January 8 stayed the Rajasthan high court order cancelling the notification regarding reorganisation of some gram panchayats and panchayat samitis after November 15.
RAJENDRA RATHORE, DEPUTY LEADER OF OPPOSITION IN THE ASSEMBLY AND
FORMER PANCHAYAT
RAJ MINISTER SAID THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT PANCHAYAT POLLS ARE NOT BEING HELD IN TIME AND ADMINS APPOINTED
The high court order dated December 13 nullified panchayat bodies created after November 15-16.
The high court order nullified notifications issued by the state government on December 1 and December 12 creating 204 gram panchayats and 9 panchayat samitis.
On December 24, the state election c o mmission had announced dates for polling in gram panchayats on January 17, January 22 and January 29.
It included the panchayat bodies created by the notification of December 1 and 12 as well as Zila Parishads and Panchayat Samitis in the fourth phase of polling on February 1.
But after the Supreme Court order, the fourth phase was cancelled.
After the Supreme Court order, Rajasthan deputy chief minister and Panchayat Raj department minister Sachin Pilot also wrote to the state election commission requesting that elections be held at the earliest as the tenure of panchayats is going to end in February.
He said if elections were not held in time, it would lead to a constitutional crisis.
However, the state election commission’s view was that elections could not be held as the Supreme Court has not given a final decision.
State election commissioner PS Mehra clarified that it was not possible to hold elections immediately and it would take at least three months to hold elections.
He said the commission had in February last year told the state government to complete the process of delimitation so that there would be no delay.
But the government started the process only in May after the general elections and the entire process was delayed.
Secretary Shyam Singh Rajpurohit said the election was cancelled as they are waiting for the final order of the Supreme Court.
“If we hold elections as per the conditions existing prior to December 13, and later the Supreme Court gives an order that reverses those conditions, then how will we remove the elected representatives?” he said.
He said the Supreme Court has only stayed compliance of the high court order and not given a final decision.
The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for February 24.