Assam Chief Minister Confirms Panchayat Elections Scheduled for April
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Guwahati, Jan 12 (NationPress) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Sunday that the Panchayat elections are set to occur in April.
Sarma informed reporters, “The Gauhati High Court has granted permission today for conducting the Panchayat elections. However, we have lost valuable time; if we were to commence today, the elections could be organized by mid-February. Yet, we face the challenge of Class 10 and 12 examinations next month, and holding elections at that time would significantly disrupt the students in rural areas. Additionally, securing venues for vote counting would pose a challenge.”
The Chief Minister indicated that the state administration is exploring options to hold the Panchayat elections in April. “The elections are expected to align with Bihu festivities in April,” he added.
The High Court had previously mandated that no notifications for the Panchayat elections be issued until January 8. However, the state government has sought a reevaluation of this ruling, citing the necessity to proceed with the elections as planned.
In response, the court has instructed the plaintiffs to submit their responses by Sunday (January 12). Furthermore, the court has mandated that copies of the government’s application be provided to the involved parties today, ensuring transparency throughout the legal process.
Earlier, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that the Panchayat elections would take place as originally scheduled. However, the administration was unable to issue the notification for the polls due to the court’s restriction. The government has petitioned the court to permit the elections to occur without additional legal complications, stressing the importance of proceeding with the Panchayat polls despite ongoing legal matters.
The court’s ruling comes after numerous petitions were filed regarding irregularities in the constituency redetermination process. These petitions argue that the elections should be delayed until these discrepancies are resolved.
