Uttarakhand

• 23 Feb 2022

Statutory Crisis over Panchayat Elections in Haridwar

Why in News

• Recently, a legal crisis has arisen regarding the three-tier panchayat elections in Haridwar district. After the amendment in the Panchayati Raj Act, even after increasing the tenure of the administrators by six months, the situation of elections is not being created there. After the formation of the state, such a situation has been seen for the first time regarding the three-tier panchayat elections.

Key Points

• Haridwar is such a district in the state, where elections to three-tier panchayats are not held along with other districts. This sequence has been maintained since the formation of the state.
• Here Panchayats are formed after a year from other districts. Due to this, elections could not be held in Haridwar in the Panchayat elections held in October 2019. The last panchayat elections in Haridwar were held at the end of 2015. Then there was the first meeting of Gram Panchayats on 29th March, 2016, Zilla Panchayats on 16th May and Kshetra Panchayats on 10th June. The five-year term of panchayats begins with the first meeting, which ended last year.
• According to the Uttarakhand Panchayati Raj Act, 2016, Panchayats can be handed over to the administrators for six months in case elections are not held for 15 days before the end of their term. In this sequence, administrators were appointed in three-tier panchayats in Haridwar district from March. Even if elections were not held within this period, the government amended the Panchayati Raj Act and extended the tenure of the administrators for six more months.
• The tenure of administrators in 306 gram panchayats of Haridwar will end on March 29. Even during this period, the situation of elections is not being made, due to which a legal crisis has arisen. Although, after the completion of the voting for the assembly elections, the government had sought permission from the Election Commission in view of starting the process of Panchayat elections in Haridwar, but it could not be received.
• State Panchayati Raj Secretary Nitesh Jha said that due to non-conduct of Panchayat elections in Haridwar district, a situation of legal crisis is arising. Opinion is being taken from the Advocate General and the Justice Department in this regard.