Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Mar 30: State Election Commissioner, C R Chikkamath, said in a press conference held here in Monday March 29, that preparations are being made to hold gram panchayat elections within the scheduled time frame.

His statement seemed in line with the statement of the Chief Minister that there was no truth in the allegations of the opposition parties that the state government was trying to put off gram panchayat elections for the fear of getting defeated.

“Meetings have already been held with the deputy commissioners of four divisions of the state and also the respective superintendents of police in this connection,” he clarified.

Chikkamath added that the reservation list for the gram panchayat election was ready, and that the voter rolls are being printed, and asserted that the Commission is committed to hold elections as per the schedule. When the newsmen questioned him about the appointment of administrative officers to the gram panchayats, a move that has been termed unlawlful by the opposition leaders, Chikkamath said that the terms of a large number of gram panchayats are set to end in April and May and hence it would not be possible to hold elections together. He opined that administrative officers can be appointed to gram panchayats till elections are held.