From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, May 12: In view of the inability of conducting fresh elections amid lockdown conditions and the lack of preparedness even as the terms of the existing grama panchayats (GPs) is scheduled to end on May 24, the state Congress has urged the Karnataka government to extend the term of the grama panchayats by six months.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president-designate D K Shivakumar pointed out that GPs were the basic foundation of the grassroots democracy and in the present situation, the people’s representatives were better placed to respond to the plight of the
people and serve their needs.

Shivakumar said it will not be possible to hold elections before the end of the present term owing to widespread COVID-19 cases and the lack of preparations by the State Election Commission authorities.

The farmers would also be busy in agricultural activities as the monsoon season is around the corner and it would be better to extend the term of the GPs by six months to enable the people to take part in fresh elections after the monsoon when the COVID-19 situation might be expected to ease up, he added.

Addressing the press, the KPCC president-designate DK Shivakumar and leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah urged the government to let the present members continue their term for another six months. They opposed the BJP government’s attempt to nominate its party members to GPs through deputy commissioners.

Elections to rural local bodies (GPs) were not held on party symbols and the Congress would stage protests in case the government started to nominate its party members to GPs, they warned.