Panchayat polls unlikely this year

Ranchi: Elections to the 4,398 panchayats, scheduled to begin in November, seem unlikely this year in view of the pandemic. Although the government is yet to take a call in this regard, the state election commission is yet to begin any ground work, a task which needs to be completed at least six months prior to the polls.
Talking to TOI on Saturday, Jharkhand Mukhiya Sangh’s president Vikas Mahto said a host of ground works are required to be completed at least six to eight months before the polls are conducted. “The process of preparing fresh voter lists, delimitation of panchayats and other works haven’t even started yet. Under such circumstances, the panchayat polls are going to be postponed by at least six months because of Covid-19 although we are awaiting a formal response from the government and the Election Commission in this connection,” he added.
Meanwhile, several mukhiyas are demanding an extension of their terms, along with the continuation of financial powers, to be able to maintain the ongoing development works initiated by them at the ground-level. Speaking on the issue, Mahto said, “We will submit our charter of demands such as extension of our terms, financial powers, etc., to the state government. The Madhya Pradesh government has recently extended the tenures of its mukhiyas and panchayat bodies and Jharkhand too should adopt the same.”
However, state panchayati raj director Vinay Kumar Rai said there isn’t any provision for the extension of tenures of panchayat bodies if the polls fail to take place as per schedule. “In Jharkhand, panchayati raj rules don’t allow the extension of tenure of mukhiyas or the panchayat bodies. After their terms expire, their powers will automatically cease to exist till fresh elections are held,” he added.
He further said that the state election commission will have to take a call on the fate of polls this year but he believed that it is highly unlikely to happen in the current situation.