The entire process for the Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad elections will be completed by December 5th. The Punjab government informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court of this during the hearing of a petition filed against the delay in these elections. In this case, Beant Kumar Kinger, a resident of Ludhiana, filed a petition stating that the term of 150 Panchayat Samitis and 21 Zila Parishads in the state has expired a long time ago, but the election process has not yet begun.
The petitioner argued that this situation is a direct violation of Article 243-E (3) of the Constitution, which clearly states that elections to Panchayats should be held before the expiry of their term or within six months in case of dissolution. The lack of elections is affecting the democratic structure and hindering local governance. During the hearing, Chief Justice Sheel Nagu questioned the delay in the elections, stating that it is against constitutional norms. The government should have conducted the elections before the expiry of the term.
In response, the government stated that the elections were delayed due to floods in the state. The petitioner informed the court that in many places, more than a year has passed since the expiry of the term. After the state government submitted the election notification, the High Court adjourned the next hearing of the case until the last week of November. The High Court also directed that the government ensure that the timeline provided is honestly followed so that there is no hindrance in the participation of elected representatives and development works at the rural level. Details of the progress of the election process will be presented before the court during the next hearing.
