GUWAHATI, Jan 12: Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma today said that panchayat elections in Assam will be held after the conclusion of the upcoming HSLC and HS examinations, possibly before or after Rongali Bihu.
Chief Minister Dr Sarma’s comments came after the Gauhati High Court today gave the green signal to the Assam Government to hold panchayat elections in the State except in nine panchayats in Sribhumi district.
It may be mentioned here that nine writ petitions were filed challenging the final delimitation notice issued by the additional chief secretary, Panchayat and Rural Development Department, Government of Assam, with respect to the delimitation of Gaon Panchayats and the delimitation process undertaken for the delimitation of the Panchayats under the Assam Panchayat Act, 1994.
The Gauhati High Court, while hearing these petitions, had restricted the government from issuing any notification on holding the grassroots-level elections in the State in its interim order passed on Dec 17.
However, Advocate General of Assam Devajit Saikia, representing the Assam Government, and the standing counsel of the Assam State Election Commission contended in court that the interim order restricting publication of notification for the panchayat elections cannot be extended to other panchayats of the State other than the nine for which the nine writ petitions have been passed.
The Gauhati High Court agreed to the State Government’s submission and cleared the decks for holding panchayat elections in the State except in the nine disputed panchayats.
