BENGALURU: The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday decided to hold polls in over 6,000 gram panchayats across the state. The terms of most gram panchayat members will expire by May-June but the State Election Commission deferred the election due to the pandemic, forcing the government to take a call on how gram panchayats will continue to function.
Turning the Congress’ worst nightmare of losing control over the gram panchayats into reality, the ruling BJP government has decided to appoint administrators to take care of day-to-day affairs instead of allowing existing members to continue till elections are held.
The Congress had, in May, submitted a petition to the State Election Commission expressing concerns over the B S Yediyurappa government’s “intent to nominate its own party workers to panchayats instead of holding elections”. JC Madhuswamy, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, defended the move. “The cabinet has decided to hold Gram Panchayat elections at the earliest. However, in special situations, there is a provision under section 8 to appoint administrators,” he said.
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