Face-off escalates as Election Commission freezes gram panchayat, ULBs boundaries

Even as the state government has asked Deputy Commissioners to consider the proposals for reorganization/delimitation of gram panchayats, the State Election Commission today froze the boundaries of gram panchayats and urban local bodies (ULBs), escalating the disagreement with the government on the issue into a full-blown face-off.

Enforcing a clause of the Himachal Pradesh Panchayats and Municipalities Model Code of Conduct, 2020, the commission today debarred “any change in the structure, classification or area of the panchayats and municipalities till the election process is over”. The commission has also asked the government to notify the reservation roster for the impending elections to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) at the earliest.

Already not on the same page over the elections, the notification will further escalate the tension between the two. The disagreement between the government and the election commission on the issue had come out in the open two days back as well when all Deputy Commissioners did not publish the final voter list even after the commission had released it.

While the election commission is working towards holding the election on time, the government wants to hold the elections after the connectivity snapped due to the disaster is restored across the state. As per the government, many roads in several gram panchayats are not fully operation yet, leaving several areas cut off. Besides, the government, in its Cabinet meeting on October 25, had noted that several proposals related to reorganization/delimitation of PRIs could not be considered as the Deputy Commissioners were busy with relief work. The DCs were subsequently asked to consider such proposals and forward them to the Panchayati Raj Department within 15 days.

In the notification issued today, the election commission noted that the delimitation of Panchayati Raj Institutions in respect of 3,577 gram panchayats, 90 panchayat samitis, 11 zila parishads and 71 urban local bodies have been completed and notified. Besides, electoral rolls of 3,548 gram panchayats and 70 ULBs have been prepared after following due process of law and electoral rolls of 29 gram panchayats and one ULB is scheduled to be finalized on December 1 and December 7, respectively.

The term of the Panchayati Raj Institutions is expiring on January 31 and 50 urban local bodies on January 18.