Big Update on Panchayat Elections in Uttarakhand, When Will the Elections Happen?
Uttarakhand: The situation regarding the panchayat elections in Uttarakhand has become clearer. The Panchayati Raj Department has handed over the management of the three-tier panchayat system to administrators. In 12 districts, except for Haridwar, the term for village panchayats will end on November 27, and the term for block panchayats will conclude on November 29. Specifically, the terms for village panchayats in the state will end on November 27, while the block panchayats will finish their term on November 29. The term for district panchayats will end on December 1. This situation has created a bit of a dilemma regarding the timing of the elections.
Chandresh Yadav, the Secretary of Panchayati Raj, has issued the necessary orders. The terms for urban local bodies were also handed over to administrators after they ended in December 2023. According to the issued orders, under Section 130(6) of the Uttarakhand Panchayati Raj Act, 2016 (as amended in 2020), the terms for all established village panchayats in Uttarakhand (excluding Haridwar) will end on November 27. the District Magistrate has been given the authority to appoint an Assistant Development Officer (ADO) as the administrator for the village panchayats for a period of up to six months or until new village panchayats are formed. Similarly, the term for block panchayats will end on November 29, which means that the District Magistrate is authorized to appoint Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) for the block panchayats. The Panchayati Raj Act stipulates that elections should be held 15 days before or after the completion of the five-year term of the panchayats. However, if elections cannot be conducted for any reason, administrators can be appointed for a maximum of six months.
