On 10 August, the state government notified the dissolution of panchayats and declared elections under the Panchayati Raj Act.
Published Sep 01, 2023 | 1:28 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 01, 2023 | 1:28 PM
Bhagawant Mann. (Twitter)
The Punjab government on Thursday, 31 August, announced its decision to withdraw its notification to dissolve gram panchayats, about 20 days after the move came under the judicial scanner.
Appearing before a bench of Punjab and Haryana High Court headed by Chief Justice Ravi Shanker Jha, Punjab Advocate-General Vinod Ghai submitted that the elections would be held by the year-end but the notification regarding the dissolution of panchayats would be withdrawn in the next couple of days.
The submission was made during the resumed hearing on a public interest litigation (PIL) in which Gurjeet Singh Talwandi, general secretary of Shiromani Akali Dal, challenged the notification.
On 10 August, the state government notified the dissolution of panchayats and declared elections of the members of gram panchayats, panchayat samitis and zilla parishad under the Panchayati Raj Act.
The election for panchayats was to be held on 31 December. In view of the AG’s statement, the court has disposed of the PIL.
Soon after the decision, two senior IAS officers overseeing the work of the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats were suspended by the government.
Chief Secretary Anurag Verma placed Dhirendra Kumar Tiwari, Principal Secretary, Water Supply & Sanitation and Financial Commissioner, Rural Development & Panchayats and Gurpreet Singh Khaira, Director, Rural Development & Panchayats and ex-officio Special Secretary, Department of Rural Development & Panchayats and Mission Director, Mahatma Gandhi Sarbat Vikas Yojna (MGSVY) under suspension with immediate effect under provisions of Rule 3 (1) of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969.
The chief secretary further ordered that Chandigarh would be the headquarters of these officers during their suspension period.
Tiwari, a 1994 batch IAS officer, and Khaira, a 2009 batch officer, were instrumental in the decision of dissolution of the panchayats in the state. The decision backfired and caused huge embarrassment to the government after panchayats knocked on the doors of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
The government finding itself in a tight spot was left with no other option but to take a U-turn.
Meanwhile, on 17 August, panchayat members and zilla parishad representatives also challenged the 10 August notification. Those petitions are pending adjudication before a coordinate bench.
In those petitions, the government had said that there is ₹1,000 crore in the bank accounts of gram panchayats and there was a reasonable apprehension that this precious public money could be misused or unnecessarily utilised to lure residents of the village for personal gain by elected panchayat representatives.
Hence, in the public interest, the amount would be handed over to the newly elected panchayats for developmental activities.
The state has 13,241 gram panchayats, 22 zilla parishads, and 152 panchayat samitis. The government is also likely to withdraw the notification of dissolution of zilla parishads and panchayat samitis, for which polls are to be held on 25 November.
The statement regarding the same could be made before the coordinate bench, where the 10 August notification was challenged on 17 August.
