CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government has a proposal to make changes in the Punjab Gram Panchayat Act to provide for election of village sarpanch by panches rather than by direct election by the entire body of electorate. The amended law is likely to be passed during the November session of the Punjab Assembly. Observers say the aim of the amendment is two-fold. One, the Congress (I) government does not want pro-militants candidates to emerge as sarpanches as the state government cannot influence the entire electorate. It can influence a small group of elected panches in favor of the one or the other candidate. Two, the stale government wants the panchayat poll to be delayed following the drubbing the Congress (I) received in the recently held municipal election. The proposal to amend the election law will eminently serve that purpose, the observers feel. The government which was elected by a bare 9% of Punjab’s electorate last February cannot risk exposure to its dismal following in the forthcoming panchayat election. The Punjab villages have a majority of Sikh population while urban areas have a Hindu majority most states are opposed to Congress (I).
Article extracted from this publication >> September 25, 1992
