Govt-SEC rift widens as Cabinet gives nod to panchayats’ revamp

The uncertainty surrounding the Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) elections in the state has deepened, with the state Cabinet deciding to proceed with the reorganisation of panchayats even as the State Election Commission (SEC) has frozen their boundaries. The move has once again brought the simmering standoff between the government and the SEC into sharp focus.

At its meeting chaired by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the Cabinet cleared the reorganisation plan despite the SEC’s directive restricting any alteration in the structure, classification or area of panchayats until the election process is completed. The SEC’s order, issued on November 18 under the Himachal Pradesh Panchayats and Municipalities Model Code of Conduct, 2020, categorically bars any changes to existing boundaries.

Meanwhile, the Election Department has received 42 proposals for panchayat reorganisation across the state. At the same time, Deputy Commissioners have begun collecting ballot papers and other election materials as per the SEC’s schedule, highlighting the administrative tightrope the state machinery is currently walking.

Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Minister Anirudh Singh reiterated that the Chief Minister has already assured timely elections. However, he noted that the situation remains complicated, with the Disaster Management Act still in force and the issue pending before the HC. The matter is slated for hearing on December 22.

Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi echoed this position, emphasising that any decision on conducting PRI polls must account for the ongoing enforcement of the Disaster Act. He stressed that the government would continue to act within its legal mandate while navigating the present constraints.

The state government had invoked the Disaster Management Act on October 8, 2025, deferring the PRI elections on the grounds that road connectivity in several regions had not been restored adequately after recent calamities. With competing administrative priorities and legal restrictions now converging, the path to the polls remains anything but straightforward.