Congress accuses RSS, BJP of arbitrary delimitation of municipalities, panchayats in Rajasthan

Jaipur, Mar 25 (PTI) The Congress on Tuesday accused the RSS and the BJP of arbitrary delimitation of municipal bodies and panchayats in Rajasthan in the name of "one state, one election".

Congress state chief Govind Singh Dotasra also alleged the BJP government was violating the Constitution by not conducting elections to urban bodies and Panchayati Raj institutions on time.

"The RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) and the BJP together have formed an undeclared committee at the party level, in which BJP leaders Rajendra Rathore, Arun Chaturvedi and Ghanshyam Tiwari are present. They have formed committees in the districts at their own level. Members of this state-level committee call officers of Panchayati Raj institutions and urban bodies and demand arbitrary delimitation," Dotasra told reporters at a press conference.

"In the name of 'one state, one election', the Rajasthan government is blocking the development of rural and urban areas by postponing elections to Panchayati Raj institutions and urban bodies and snatching the rights of public representatives through administrators," he added.

Dotasra said delimitation and reorganisation of urban bodies and Panchayati Raj institutions by the state government was being done on the basis of political malice rather than rules and public sentiment.

He said elections to 49 urban bodies were held in November 2019 and their terms ended in November 2024.

However, instead of releasing the schedule of elections, the government appointed administrators, he claimed.

Similarly, the tenures of 6,759 gram panchayats ended on January 31 and that of 704 is ending on March 31. No notification has been issued by the State Election Commission to conduct elections for these, going against the intent of the Constitution and the law, Dotasra added.

Referring to a court decision, the Rajasthan Congress chief said elections to Panchayati Raj institutions and urban bodies could not be postponed in the name of delimitation and added it was necessary to start the poll process before completion of their five-year terms.

Dotasra said, "The Rajasthan government is not only deceiving the public but should answer on what basis it talked about 'one state, one election in the budget announcements." He demanded that the election schedule of Panchayati Raj institutions and urban bodies whose tenures had ended be released immediately.

Not conducting these elections is a direct violation of the Constitution and law, he added.

Dotasra said the Congress, if needed, would knock on the doors of courts alongside fighting on the streets to force the state government to conduct elections to municipal bodies and Panchayati Raj institutions on time. PTI AG SZM SZM

Source: PTI