Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (EP)

Udupi, May 18: There have been several changes in the state administration and lives of people due to coronavirus and the lockdown. Therefore, the election commission has not conducted any election process so far. It is inevitable to postpone gram panchayat elections by six more months due to the virus.

For the first time in the history of the panchayats, nominated members will come to the gram panchayats, and the respective district officers will be appointed by the Governing Council. If this committee was formed, it is unlikely that the BJP government and the MLAs now in power could appoint their own cadres in the committee.

There are 6,029 gram panchayats in the state with 95,168 members. Their term will conclude from May 15 to June 30. The representatives have worked hard during this pandemic. The virus has not spread acutely in the villages. Therefore, Udupi district Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Raj Organization congratulated all the gram panchayat members in the state.

Panchayat elections are held in an impartial manner. If those who have no knowledge of the functioning of gram panchayats are included in the administration committee, it will be difficult to work during coronavirus pandemic and the growth of rural area will be stunted, it was observed.

“New committee should not be formed at any cost. The current gram panchayat members should be continued till next elections to retain the aspirations of democracy,” urged Veronica Cornelio and Roshni Olivera in their request submitted to chief minister B S Yediyurappa and Eshwarappa on behalf of Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Raj Organization.