Monsoon mayhem forces state to put panchayat poll on hold

Even though the State Election Commission (SEC) has issued the final electoral rolls for the upcoming elections to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI), the Himachal Pradesh Government has made it clear that polls cannot be held until normalcy returns after the widespread destruction caused by the monsoon.

Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta has written a fresh communication to the SEC, stating that the government will notify the commission about holding the elections only when conditions on the ground are stable enough. With this stand, the chances of conducting PRI elections by the end of the year appear increasingly remote, despite the SEC’s eagerness to proceed.

Gupta’s letter comes after the SEC summoned senior bureaucrats for a meeting on November 12 to discuss election preparedness. Gupta said the government would attend such a meeting only after the October 8, 2025, order, issued under the Disaster Management Act, deferring elections due to extensive infrastructure damage, is formally withdrawn. Until then, the order remains binding.

The letter bluntly notes that the government is in no position to conduct elections immediately. Citing the continuing impact of road damage and disrupted connectivity, Gupta emphasised that holding polls without restoring basic public access would be inappropriate and unfair to voters.

The Chief Secretary also conveyed the latest assessment from the Revenue Department, which had sought updated road connectivity reports from all Deputy Commissioners (DCs). According to these reports, repair work is underway across the state, but the scale of devastation has slowed restoration. Many link roads in numerous panchayats are still not fully operational, leaving several areas effectively cut off.

The government has also asked DCs to prioritise disposal of relief cases under the Special Relief Package. The letter underscores the magnitude of the disaster: Himachal recorded 47 cloudbursts, 98 flash floods, 148 major landslides and a death toll of 270 during the monsoon.

Defending the October 8 decision to defer PRI elections, Gupta said the move was necessary to avoid inconvenience to voters and polling personnel, and to ensure no voter is denied the right to cast a ballot simply because their road remains damaged or inaccessible.

When roads collapse, democracy slows

The state government says Panchayati Raj polls cannot be held until post-monsoon normalcy returns

Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta writes to SEC reaffirming that damaged infrastructure makes elections impractical

October 8 SDMA order deferring polls remains in force; govt unwilling to attend SEC meeting unless it is withdrawn

Reports from Deputy Commissioners show large-scale road damage, with many panchayat link roads still cut off

Himachal recorded 47 cloudbursts, 98 flash floods, 148 major landslides and 270 deaths this monsoon