4 yrs, numerous announcements later, Assam panchayat polls may be held

4 yrs, numerous announcements later, Assam panchayat polls may be held
SAMUDRA GUPTA KASHYAP

GUWAHATI, SEPT 25: Despite the authorities announcing panchayat elections in Assam every now and then, it has been four years since they were held. This year alone, schedule for the elections was announced four times. In the absence of polls, development work has been adversely affected at the grass-roots level.

According to Assam Election Commissioner Abdul Malik, the polls will be held on November 18, 22 and 27. This time, there appears some seriousness on part of the state government in holding the polls as it has issued directions to the Education Department to complete the annual examinations in schools by November 15. Also, the polls cannot be postponed any more as the Census authorities have set a deadline of November so that the Census-2001 operations are not disrupted.

Polls were first put off this year as communication links in various districts had not been restored. Another hurdle was a PIL filed in the Gauhati High Court following which the court issued a directive to the government to constitute panchayat election tribunals before starting the election process.

In between, the State Election Commission was engaged in a row with the state government as the latter had not notified the constituencies reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Thankfully, the government issued the notification well in time.

The three-phased panchayat elections will be held for 2,500 village panchayats, 219 anchalik panchayats and 21 zilla parishads in the state.

Various parties are gearing up for the elections. These polls have assumed significance as the Assembly elections in Assam are also drawing near. The term of the present Assembly expires in May, next year.