Electoral rolls to be revised before rural poll

Faridkot, June 9

Days after the completion of parliamentary election in the state, the State Election Commission has issued directions to all Deputy Commissioners-cum-District Election Officers for the revision of electoral rolls for purpose of use in the coming gram panchayat, panchayat samiti or zila parishad elections.

In a letter to all Deputy Commissioners-cum-District Election Officers in the state, on Friday, Raj Kamal Chaudhuri, State Election Commissioner, said that earlier the commission had obtained data base with qualifying date of January 1, 2023 from the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab for preparation of electoral rolls for Gram Panchayat elections in the state which were earlier due to be conducted by December 31, 2023. However, these elections could not be conducted on account of administrative reasons. Now, with the conclusion of Lok Sabha elections, there is need to be carry out a revision of electoral rolls for purposes of rural bodies’ poll, said the commission.

The state has 13,241 gram panchayats, 22 zila parishads and 152 panchayat samitis.

Last year, on August 10, DK Tiwari, Financial Commissioner, Punjab and Department of Rural Development and Panchayats had issued a notification, dissolving all the gram panchayats, zila parishads and panchayat samitis to conduct the elections of these rural bodies.

A PIL was filed in the High Court, challenging the dissolution of the rural bodies. On August 31, last year, the state government had withdrawn the notification.

It is believed that these election of rural bodies will be conducted in the month of July-August after the completion of paddy sowing and before the harvesting of the crop, revealed the sources in Department of Rural Development and Panchayats.