Stalemate over holding panchayat poll continues

There seems to be no let-up in the stalemate over holding of elections to the panchayati raj institutions (PRI) as the state government today conveyed to the State Election Commission (SEC) that in the present circumstances it is not possible to withdraw the Disaster Management Act, 2005 in public interest.

Responding to the letter written by the SEC to the state government on October 17, it was today conveyed to the SEC that in view of damaged roads, water supply schemes and power line, the current focus of the government is on relief and restoration measures and the entire district administration of the state is involved in restoration of essential services and providing relief to the affected families. As such, it is not in public interest to withdraw the October 8, 2025 order of deferring the PRI polls.

It was yesterday that the SEC had written to the state government, terming the decision of not conducting the PRI elections without jurisdiction. “At present, all activities in the state are going on. The district administration is organising melas, educational institutions are functioning normally and all other daily activities are going on uninterrupted,” the SEC pointed out.

The SEC also pointed out that road connectivity was affected only in some areas of the state, which it would have definitely considered in consultation with the state government while considering the possibility of holding elections in such areas. In fact, the meeting convened by the SEC on November 15, 2025 was precisely to discuss all such issues.

It was on October 8 that the state government had issued an order under Section 24 (e) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 that the PRI polls would be held only after the restoration of proper connectivity of roads throughout the state.

The SEC has also made it clear in no uncertain terms that under Article 243Kof the Constitution of India provides that the superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of electoral rolls for the conduct of the panchayat polls shall be vested in the SEC. “Further, your attention is invited towards Article 243E (3)(a) of the Constitution of India which provides that elections to constitute a panchayat shall be completed before the expiry of its duration,” the SEC wrote.

The SEC had last week ordered the freezing of the boundaries of the panchayats, thereby eliminating possibility of further delimitation of panchayats. On the other hand, the Cabinet, in its meeting on October 25, had kept the option open by observing that proposals had been received from some districts for delimitation of panchayats, which could not be taken up as the Deputy Commissioners were busy with relief and rehabilitation works, post monsoons.