Polling for Panchayati Raj bodies in Aug-Sept

Chandigarh, May 15

Haryana is set for the battle of votes for the three-tier Panchayati Raj institutions in August/September this year.

In fact, the countdown has begun for the PRIs (panchayat, panchayat samiti and zila parishad) polls, with the State Election Commission (SEC) issuing notification for the preparation of the voters’ list. The date for the final publication of the voters’ list has been fixed as July 22.

Any time after July 22

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The SEC will be ready to hold elections of PRIs immediately after the final publication of the voters list on July 22. —Dhanpat Singh, State election commissioner

The preparation of the ward-wise draft voters’ list will be undertaken from May 23 to June 13, while the voters’ list will be published in June. The voters can file their claims and objections before the District Electoral Office (DEO) by June 21.

The last date for the disposal of the claims by the DEO has been fixed as June 28.The voters can file appeal before the Deputy Commissioner (DC) against the decision of the DEO by July 1. The DC will dispose of the appeals by July 6, paving the way for the final publication of the electoral rolls on July 22.

Sources said it took 25 to 32 days after the final publication of the voters’ list to conduct the elections. “The SEC will be ready to hold these elections immediately after the final publication of the voters list on July 22,” Dhanpat Singh, State Election Commissioner, told The Tribune today.

Meanwhile, the polls will set the mood for the municipal elections in Haryana. Though the PRIs elections are not contested on party symbols by major parties, including the BJP and the Congress, the municipal polls are usually contested on party symbols by the parties.

However, the AAP, still basking in the glory of its historic win in neighbouring Punjab, has announced to contest by the PRIs and municipal elections on party symbol.

This is the first election after the Haryana Panchayat Raj Act, 2020, was notified by the state government last year. Under the new rules, there is 50% quota for women and 8% quota for backward classes.