Farmers Movement Archive

Panchayat polls deferment: Khattar’s budget speech remarks on PRI empowerment draw flak

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s budget speech assertion that his government is committed to ensure vibrancy of the panchayati raj institutions (PRIs), the third tier of democracy, in both letter and spirit has drawn flak from the opposition in view of the delay in holding panchayat polls. The State Election Commission (SEC) which is responsible for holding the panchayat elections has deferred the polls citing the pandemic situation and protests by farmers against three farm laws. The term of the panchayats in the state ended on February 23. As per Article 243-E of the Constitution, an election to constitute a panchayat shall be completed before the expiry of its duration which is five years from the date appointed for its first meeting. A division bench of the Punjab and Haryana high court had in a 1999 order observed that advocate general and SEC counsel had conceded that the September 30, 1999, order pertaining to preparation of electoral rolls for the panchayat and the municipal polls had been made in ignorance of the constitutional provisions contained in part IX and IX-A (Article 243) and the Panchayati Raj Act and Municipal Act and the order had in fact by implication, nullified a constitutional and statutory mandate. The bench was hearing a review application against September 1999 orders filed by six petitioners including two MLAs for impleading them as respondent and also saying that elections of panchayats, panchayat samitis and zila parishad in Haryana which were due to be held in December 1999 would be deferred if the voters lists were to be prepared afresh in compliance of the HC orders and that would result in non-compliance of the provisions of the Constitution to complete the panchayat elections before the expiry of their duration. Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala said the chief minister should stop taking false credit when his government is guilty of trampling the democracy. “The BJP-JJP government has brazenly violated the constitutional provisions by not holding the panchayat polls before February 23. The government is deliberately violating the constitutional mandate of holding the panchayat polls before the expiry of term of the panchayats,’’ the former minister said. Former leader of the opposition and INLD general secretary Abhay Chautala said the BJP-JJP government knows that they will be wiped out in panchayat elections. “The plea of pandemic and farmers’ agitation is a mere excuse to hide their low confidence. If this is the case, why were the municipal polls and Baroda assembly by-poll held? They don’t have the nerve of get polls conducted,’’ he said. Chautala said that on one hand the chief minister claims that he has empowered the panchayats and on the other his government has put a cap on the financial powers of the sarpanches. “Panchayats should get greater financial autonomy,’’ he said. Congress MLA from Dabwali Amit Sihag said If the government is so concerned about democracy, it should get the panchayat polls conducted. “The truth is that BJP and JJP leaders are scared of visiting the villages in view of stiff opposition by farmers. But yet they have the brazenness to claim credit. In fact, the authority from sarpanches was withdrawn much before February 23 by this government and handed over to block development officers. This is undemocratic,’’ the MLA said.What Khattar said about panchayats in his speech? “I believe that although the 73rd and 74th amendments in the Constitution ( pertaining to empowering PRIs and municipal bodies) were carried out in 1992, they have not been implemented in spirit by the successive governments. My government is committed to ensure vibrancy of the third tier of democracy in both letter and spirit.”

Hindustan Times

14-03-2021

Chandigarh