Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj K.S. Eshwarappa said on Monday that in the wake of the COVID-19 situation, the State Election Commission (SEC) has been requested to put off the polls to gram panchayats scheduled in May.
Speaking to presspersons, he said preparations for the elections at the ground level and at the administrative level have been affected by the lockdown and prohibitory orders.
He also said that as midday meals could not be served in schools owing to the lockdown, the State government had passed an order directing teachers to deliver foodgrains to the houses of students. But because of the restrictions on movement, teachers have said that it would be difficult to implement the order. Mr. Eshwarappa said that however, students, especially those from drought-affected areas, cannot be denied midday meals in the name of the lockdown. He said Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa would be apprised of this problem and requested to explore alternative ways of providing cooked food or foodgrains to students.
