K.S. Eshwarappa, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, has said that the State government would soon appoint administrative committees for all the 6,021 gram panchayats (GPs) in the State.
“A decision to this effect was taken by the State government based on the opinion of the Law Department and the Advocate General. The Panchayat Raj Act has also provided provision for formation of administrative committee as an ad hoc arrangement if there is any delay in conducting the elections for the GPs,” he told presspersons here on Saturday.
Brushing aside the allegations by the Congress leaders that the State government was deliberately postponing the elections, he said that in the wake of the prevailing COVID-19 situation, the State government had told the State Election Commission that it would not be appropriate to conduct elections at this juncture. “As the elections had to be put off, there were three options before the State government - to continue the tenure of the existing members; appoint an administrative committee as an ad hoc arrangement or appoint an administrative officer to the GP. After seeking the legal opinion, we decided to form administrative committees,” he said.
Mr. Eshwarappa said that the nomination for the committees would be made as per the roaster system. Women, Backward Class, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes would get representation in the administrative committees as per the existing laws. The committees would cease to exist as soon as the elections are declared for the GPs, he said.
Replying to a query, he said the Election Commission has sought the opinions of Deputy Commissioners of all the districts on conducting the elections for GPs.
