Guwahati: Voters in Assam will have to wait a bit longer to participate in Panchayat elections, as the state government has announced a delay until after the Lok Sabha general elections.
This postponement, according to Cabinet Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass, is necessary due to the ongoing delimitation process and the need for a fresh voter list.
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While the Constitution mandates holding Panchayat elections within six months of the previous term’s completion, the ongoing redrawing of boundaries requires a reorganization of panchayats, thus pushing back the election date.
To ensure smooth functioning during this interim period, district commissioners will be entrusted with the custodianship of panchayat properties, said the minister.
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Additionally, the government plans to appoint “guardian ministers,” local MLAs, or prominent social workers to oversee the implementation of welfare initiatives in panchayats.
Dass emphasized that increasing the number of panchayats isn’t feasible due to legal and practical limitations.
Instead, the government will categorize existing panchayats into “A,” “B,” and “C” based on population density, he said.
He added, “This ensures representation is adjusted according to population size without adding further complexity to the system.”