Jaipur: Rajasthan State Election Commission’s handling of the panchayati elections has come under fire following the announcement that elections for key posts in Kota, Sriganganagar, Karauli and Baran districts will be delayed.State Election Commissioner Rajeshwar Singh confirmed Friday that while most of the Gram Panchayat elections across the state are set to conclude by Nov 15, the elections for Zila Pramukh and Pradhan in four districts will not be held until after the current officeholders complete their terms—which is barely a month later in Dec.The decision has sparked criticism among residents and political parties alike, with many questioning the commission for what they perceive as unnecessary delays in the electoral process. This has also put into question the state BJP govt’s declaration to implement the “One State, One Election” policy, as not only have the municipal and panchayat polls been scheduled separately, but the rural polls are now even being staggered into two different timescales.Singh, however, said that constitutional provisions hinder the removal of current office holders (Zila Pramukh and Pradhan) before the end of their tenure. “Election process for members, though, can begin six months before the expiry of their terms. Elections to Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti members in these four districts will, therefore, be held first,” Singh said.“The intent is important, and our intention is clearly to complete the election process,” Singh added, claiming that the commission has “largely” adhered to Rajasthan High Court’s directive to conclude the elections in a timely manner.This has done little to quell public discontent over the decision to initiate two separate election processes, at a short gap, for some panchayat posts. The staggered schedule—where Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections will conclude only on Nov 28—leaves many questioning the commission’s approach.Opposition parties have seized on the delays as evidence of incompetence and a lack of urgency on the part of the state election commission. Responding to Congress allegations over the election schedule, Singh said the commission had deliberately kept the gap between various stages of the process to a minimum. He said sarpanch elections often attract complaints of money power and inducements being used to influence voters. “Almost no gap has been left between filing of nominations and polling so that misuse of money power can be curbed,” he said.Moreover, concerns over the functionality of ageing EVMs, some of which are up to 14 years old, have added another layer of controversy to the upcoming rural polls. Singh noted that these machines will become unusable in the near future, raising questions about the reliability of the electoral process in the state.Despite these criticisms, Singh defended the commission’s decisions and reiterated that the schedule considered major festivals such as Diwali and Dussehra, in addition to the need for adequate resources like govt staff and police personnel.
