Special officers take over rein of panchayats today

The administration of the 25,669 gram panchayats in both Telugu states are going into the hands of special officers from Thursday due to failure of the state governments in conducting the elections. The term of the elected bodies governing them came to an end on Wednesday. There are 12,751 gram panchayats in Telangana and 12918 gram panchayats in AP.

According to 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, in line with the Parliament and assemblies, the elections to the local bodies must be conducted at all levels once in five years, before the expiry of the incumbent administration. But many states are not following this and are avoiding the elections under some pretext.

Though the state election commissions in both AP and Telangana have geared up to conduct the process, both states are trying to delay it in view of the upcoming Parliament and assembly elections.

The TS government had said that the elections would be held in June or July as the term of the elected bodies were to expire on August 1. However, due to delay in finalising the reservations by the government, the state election commission could not conduct the elections.

According to the Panchayat Raj Act, state governments have to finalise the reservations and submit the details to the state election commissions before they conduct the elections. However, for political advantage, state governments delay the elections to local bodies.

In AP also Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has decided to hand over the administration of Gram Panchayats to special officers from Thursday. The AP government has also not taken any steps to conduct the elections before the assembly elections.

According to 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, in the elections to the local bodies must be conducted at all levels before the expiry of the five-year term.