Chandigarh, Sept 27, 2018: The much awaited Panchayat elections in Punjab may not be held on the October 14 as decided by Panchayats and Rural Development Department.
The elections are not likely to be held before November, 2018 for the main reason that the issue of reservation for the posts of Sarpanch has not been resolved so far.
According to the State Election Commission (SEC), the decision on the issue should be clear at least 15 days before the elections. But the state government has not conveyed the decision to the SEC till date.
Sources told babushahi.com that the reservation issue is caught in legal tangles. Previously, the reservation was done on the basis of population factor at Block level but this has no provision on the Panchayati Raj Act which calls for reservation on the basis of district level instead of the Block level.
The matter was taken to the Punjab and Haryana High Court then but since the election process had already begun by that time, the HC had observed the decision in the regard could be implemented in the next elections.
It is learnt that the state government is working on finding way to make reservation for women in these election as part of the Panchayati Raj Act. The government may bring Ordinance and later add the reservation provision to the Act. Another way is to pass legislation on amendment in the Act.
Source Babushahi.com
