JAIPUR: The Rajasthan government has decided not to hold elections in 6,759 gram panchayats scheduled for January. Instead, the existing Sarpanchs will serve as administrators.
An administrative committee, comprising the Deputy Sarpanch and Ward Panch members, will be formed at each gram panchayat level to assist the Sarpanchs in their administrative duties. The Panchayati Raj Department has issued official notifications outlining these changes.
This decision is modelled on practices followed in Madhya Pradesh and other BJP-ruled states, where similar steps have been taken to streamline governance and facilitate synchronized elections for Panchayati Raj institutions. The initiative is seen as a step toward implementing the 'One State, One Election' policy, allowing all Panchayati Raj institutions in Rajasthan to have simultaneous elections.
The tenure of 6,759 gram panchayats in the state is set to expire by the end of this month, necessitating elections before January 31. However, the government has opted to delay elections until the reorganisation of Panchayati Raj institutions is complete. During this period, Sarpanchs will function as administrators under the guidance of their respective administrative committees.
According to the notification, district collectors will oversee the appointment of administrators and the formation of administrative committees in Panchayats where the tenure has ended.
While the total number of gram panchayats in the state exceeds 11,000, their tenures end at different times. For instance, 704 Panchayats will see their tenure end in March, while 3,847 will face the same in September-October. The decision to appoint administrators aims to bridge these electoral gaps and facilitate unified elections.
This measure underscores the government’s intent to bring structural reforms and ensure smooth governance during the interim period. However, it remains to be seen how effectively this model will be implemented at the grassroots level.