The Himachal Pradesh government has appointed administrators to Panchayati Raj institutions across the state after elections could not be held following the completion of their five-year term. A notification in this regard was issued by the Panchayati Raj Department on Saturday.
The term of Gram Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishads ended on January 31, and with the expiry of their tenure, these bodies now stand dissolved. From February 1, all powers and functions of the Panchayati Raj institutions will be exercised by committees headed by government अधिकारियों.
According to the notification, these committees have been constituted to carry out administrative work, oversee ongoing development projects and initiate new works at the panchayat level. The seals issued earlier by the Panchayati Raj Department to elected bodies will also become invalid from February onwards.
For Gram Panchayats, the Block Development Officer (BDO) has been appointed as the chairman of the committee, while the Panchayat Secretary will function as the member secretary. In Panchayat Samitis, the Chief Executive Officer will act as the chairman and the Social Education and Block Planning Officer as a member. In case the post is vacant, an officer nominated by the BDO will be included. A Panchayat Inspector or Sub-Inspector has been designated as the member secretary.
In Zila Parishads, the Chief Executive Officer has been made the chairman, the District Development Officer a member, and the District Panchayat Officer the member secretary. For payments under Central Finance Commission grants, the member secretary will act as the maker, while the chairman will serve as the checker.
The department clarified that the tenure of elected representatives ended across the state, except in Gram Panchayats and Panchayat Samitis of Sub-Division Keylong in Lahaul-Spiti, Panchayats in Pangi Sub-Division of Chamba district, and four Gram Panchayats in Kullu district.
Elections for the reconstitution of Panchayati Raj institutions could not be conducted due to the implementation of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. As per provisions of the State Panchayati Raj Act, the institutions are deemed dissolved after the completion of their term.
Meanwhile, the State Election Commission stated that Himachal Pradesh has 55.19 lakh voters, including 27.93 lakh men and 27.26 lakh women. Kangra district has the highest number of voters at 13.17 lakh, followed by Mandi with 8.65 lakh and Shimla with 5.17 lakh, while Lahaul and Spiti has 25,602 voters.
