Ahead Of Panchayat Polls, Assam CM Urges Diligent Delimitation Process

With panchayat elections in Assam now due since the end of the previous terms, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has stressed on diligent completion of an extensive delimitation process at the block level. However, while speaking on Monday in an all-district commissioners' meeting in Guwahati, he directed that the overall number of panchayats should not come down.

Sarma said, "An important issue is that we have to reorganize the panchayats. I have received complaints from one or two districts that based on the population, the number of panchayats will come down. Zila Parishads will not be affected, but panchayats are likely to come down. However, the total number of panchayats decreasing in a district is not something we want."

Earlier, the Chief Minister had discussed that an extensive delimitation drive would be carried out at development block level before the panchayat elections. Addressing DCs today, he pointed out that the process should not hurt the infrastructure already present at panchayats.

"If required, we will bring an amendment to the Act, that, provided the total number of panchayats are not coming down, whichever is more – new population pattern or the number of panchayats as of today – so that we can protect the number of panchayats. We have to make sure that we do not lose infrastructure. Hence, Panchayat delimitation should be taken very seriously," said Sarma.

"We have to complete elections within December 31 according to the stipulated timeline. We do not want to hear that Assam is not conducting panchayat elections. So we don’t want to embarrass each other, we have to make the schedule so that everything is completed before December 31," he added stressing on strictly adhering to the stipulated time for the exercise.

We will bring necessary legislative amendments to ensure that number of Panchayats do not go down in the delimitation process.

We have to also ensure that Panchayat elections are completed by Dec 31 and new office bearers take oath by then.#DCConference pic.twitter.com/g3xq35Jwck

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) July 29, 2024

Last month, Himanta Biswa Sarma, while addressing the media after the first Assam cabinet meeting since the Lok Sabha elections, had said that panchayat elections in the state will be held in November.

Sarma said, "We have decided to hold panchayat elections in November. Ahead of that, we have to ensure that no panchayat and zila parishad comes under separate assembly constituencies. In Assam, we see that gram panchayats, especially development blocks are spread across two or more different assembly constituencies. After the Vidhan Sabha constituency delimitation, the matter has become even more complex."

"Earlier, if two development blocks were in one Vidhan Sabha constituency, now they are spread across four constituencies. This is because delimitation exercise was not done on development block level," he said.

"As such, we have decided to carry out fresh delimitation at the development block level to address the issue and re-ascertain their boundaries along with each those of each panchayat, zila parishad, and anchalik panchayat before elections are held," added the CM.

Notably, Assam panchayat and rural development minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass had said in February that panchayat elections in the state will be held after the Lok Sabha polls, but within the next six months to adhere to provisions of the constitution.

Failing to hold panchayat elections within the stipulated time would result in the cancellation of grants received by local bodies under the 15th Finance Commission, said Dass.

Also Read: Panchayat Elections In 6 Months But After LS Polls: Ranjeet Dass