Addressing a pressing matter during the media interaction after holding the first Assam cabinet meeting since the Lok Sabha elections, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday that panchayat elections in the state will be held in November.
However, there will be an extensive delimitation exercise carried out at the development block level before the elections are held to ensure the complexities arising out of previous delimitation of assembly constituencies can be addressed.
Addressing a customary press conference after the cabinet meeting today, Sarma said, "We have decided to hold panchayat elections in November. Ahead of that, we have to ensure that no panchayat and zila parishad comes under separate assembly constituencies. In Assam, we see that gram panchayats, especially development blocks are spread across two or more different assembly constituencies. After the Vidhan Sabha constituency delimitation the matter has become even more complex."
"Earlier, if two development blocks were in one Vidhan Sabha constituency, now they are spread across four constituencies. This is because delimitation exercise was not done on development block level," he said.
"As such, we have decided to carry out fresh delimitation at development block level to address the issue and reascertain their boundaries along with each those of each panchayat, zila parishad, and anchalik panchayat before elections are held," added the CM.
Laying out the roadmap for the same, Sarma informed that the delimitation exercise will be completed within three months by August 30 and a voter list will be prepared by September. By the last week of October, an election notification will be released and then gram panchayat elections can be held in the last week of November, possibly extending to December, he stated.
It may be mentioned here that the cabinet minister for panchayat and rural development in Assam, Ranjeet Kumar Dass had mentioned in February that panchayat elections in the state will be held after the Lok Sabha polls, but within the next six months to adhere to provisions of the constitution.
Failing to hold panchayat elections within the stipulated time would result in cancellation of grant received by local bodies under the 15th finance commission.
Assam Panchayat and Rural Development Minister, Ranjeet Kumar Dass in February, this year
Answering questions as to when can panchayat elections be expected, he said, "We will hold panchayat elections after the Lok Sabha elections are done. According to the constitution, we have until six months from the completion of the term of the previous local body administration. So, we have time on our hands. We will wait for the preparation of a new voter list before holding elections."
Dass said, "Panchayat elections are held by the state election commission. After the delimitation process, naturally, the boundaries of several panchayats, anchalik panchayats, and zila parishads have changed. This will require the reorganization of panchayats. For that, we have formed a committee headed by district commissioners and with zila parishad executive officers as member secretaries. The elections can be held only after the re-organization process is complete."
"In the interim gap period, concerned district commissioners or their authorized officers will act as the custodian of the properties of gaon panchayats, anchalik panchayats and zila parishads," the cabinet minister added.
