3 months on, no swearing-in yet

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 5

Three months have passed but the chairman of Zila Parishad Ludhiana has not been announced so far. In his absence, the elected members of the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti are forced to wait for their swearing-in.

The election for Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti was held on September 19, while the results were announced on September 22, 2018. An elected member from a block of panchayat samiti said: “We have been waiting for over three months, but oath has not been administered to us to date. Now, the panchayat elections have also been conducted. The government should make arrangement to administer the oath at the earliest.”

Residents are also waiting to see development in their villages. “We have great expectations from the newly elected members of Gram Panchayat, Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti. In many villages, residents want to see clean ponds, well-constructed streets, better drainage system and improved sanitary conditions. Our issues should not be ignored,” said Harmandeep Singh, a villager.

The Indian National Congress had scored a sweeping victory in Ludhiana district in the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections. It won all 25 Zila Parishad seats and 195 out of 236 zones of Panchayat Samiti. The Shiromani Akali Dal won 33 seats of Panchayat Samiti, while eight seats were won by Independents.

District Congress president (rural) Gurdev Singh Lapran, who won the Zila Parishad election from Kila Raipur zone, said they got information that the oath ceremony for the elected members of the Zila Parishad, Panchayat Samiti and newly elected sarpanches and panches is likely to be held on January 11, but it was yet to be confirmed. “We hope the Zila Parishad and Block Samitis will be formed at the earliest,” he said.

Deputy Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Agrawal said they have not yet received the official orders for holding the oath ceremony for the newly elected members.