COVID-19: Maharashtra Gram Panchayat Elections Postponed

MUMBAI (Maharashtra): The Maharashtra Rural Development Minister Hasan Mushrif has said that the elections to 12,668 Gram Panchayats in the state have been postponed in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In view of the outbreak of Corona in the state, a request was recently made to the State Election Commission through the State Government to postpone the elections of 12,668 Gram Panchayats proposed between July and December 2020,” said Hasan Mushrif in a press release.

“If Gram Panchayat elections are held, it is likely that many people will gather in public places through staff training, community use of voting machines, campaign crowds, meetings and rallies. Such crowds can be dangerous in the present situation in the state,” he added.

The elections were scheduled for all gram panchayats whose tenure is supposed to end between June and December 2020.

The state government, with its rising COVID-19 cases, conveyed its inability to hold elections in the present situation to the state election commission.

The State Election Commission has informed the state that the existing executive of the gram panchayats, whose term is ending. will not continue in the same manner.

The Election Commission further directed the state government to appoint a suitable administrator in these gram panchayats.

This indicates that the gram panchayats, whose five-year terms are expiring, will not get a six-month extension or given the role of a caretaker as they were demanding.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) had proposed that these gram panchayats should have an administrator till fresh elections take place. The state government was against giving the gram panchayats an extension for six months.

The state election commission will be reviewing the situation from time to time in consultation with the state government.

from League of India