Election Commission mounts pressure on govt to clear decks for panchayat polls
With the elections overdue since May 2021, SEC has stepped up its legal fight even as rural development and panchayat raj minister Priyank Kharge said the govt is working to hold elections within three months.
"We know our responsibility. Steps are being taken to ensure ZP-TP polls in two or three months from now and the notification on reservation will be issued very soon," Priyank said. "We will also ensure that GP polls are held before the due date."
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Two key steps must be completed before elections can be held — delimitation of constituencies and finalisation of reservation. While delimitation across 31 ZPs and 230 TPs has been finalised, reservation notification is still pending. This, despite the govt informing the high court in Dec 2023 that it would complete the process within a month.
Its failure to keep that promise prompted the SEC to file a contempt petition in June 2024.
In response, the govt submitted an affidavit on Feb 17 this year stating it would complete the reservation notification by May 31, 2025. With the govt missing that deadline too, the SEC revived its contempt petition. The case is expected to come up for hearing next week.
"We are serious about the case," said GS Sangreshi, state election commissioner. "We will not just seek legal action against the govt on grounds of contempt of court but also plead the high court to fix the date for the ZP-TP polls."
Pressure is intensifying since elections for 5,950 GPs are due in Jan 2026. SEC is preparing to file a separate writ petition seeking the court's intervention to ensure timely GP elections.
Panchayat polls carry immense political weight. They are seen as a mini-assembly election since they cover all districts. They serve as a barometer for parties ahead of state elections.
The previous BJP govt had delayed polls in the past — initially due to the pandemic.
It postponed them again due to the 2023 assembly polls, while the Congress govt preferred to wait until the 2024 Lok Sabha elections were over. Now, pressure is building within Congress, with local functionaries demanding polls to push their grassroots ambitions.
"Delaying local body elections is not good, as it goes against democratic principles," said BR Patil, senior Congress legislator. "A delay deprives the new generation of politicians of opportunities. This is not good for any party since it is important to nurture leaders at the grassroots level."
Local functionaries and aspiring candidates are growing restless, viewing the ZP-TP elections as a launching pad. With the HC set to hear the contempt plea soon, the govt may have no choice but to act — swiftly.
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