Demand to elect panchayat samitis, zila parishad chairman, vice-chairman gains momentum

The demand to conduct elections of chairman and vice-chairman of panchayat samitis and zila parishad on the lines of gram panchayats has started gaining momentum just around two months before the upcoming elections of panchayati raj institutions (PRIs) in the state.

In the three-tier system of the PRIs, which includes gram panchayats, the rural electorate elects their pradhans and up-pradhans directly by exercising their franchise along with other ward members (panches) of the panchayat.

But in panchayat samitis and zila parishad, the electorate elects members (delegates) of these democratic institutions. After getting elected, these delegates further elect unanimously or with voting their chairman and vice-chairman. Similar election pattern is used in Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats, the urban civic bodies of the state.

While strongly advocating conducting of direct elections of chairman and vice-chairman of the development committees (BDCs) and zila parishad, former BDC member and up-pradhan of Dol-Bhated panchayat Sadhu Ram Rana, Harchakian panchayat pradhan Tilak Raj, Kotla panchayat up-pradhan Mangal Singh, Kotla-Soldha ward BDC member Monika Rana and Pandrer panchayat up-pradhan Sikander Rana said this change in the electoral system would check horse trading. They pleaded that the direct election of these posts would also discourage political interference in electing these top posts of the BDCs and zila parishad in the state and ensure transparency in their functioning while undertaking rural development.