State Government spokesperson Bamang Felix on Wednesday denied allegations that the BJP-ruled Arunachal Pradesh Government was reluctant to conduct panchayat elections in the State and said the Government has no ill intentions over the same as alleged by some political parties.
“We have shifted from the 3-tier system to 2-tier system for which necessary rules and regulations have to be put in place. Massive time-taking process in the ground like delimitation process, voter’s enrolment process, etc. is required to make a foolproof system. As and when this process completes, we will hold the elections,” said Felix, the State Government spokesperson while addressing a press conference at the State Secretariat here.
The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) had earlier accused that the State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was willingly sabotaging the panchayat elections. The Congress had also launched a signature campaign – ‘We the people’ – demanding early conduct of the panchayat elections in State.
Felix said that the Government is aware of the High Court’s directions and it has accordingly alerted the Panchayati Raj Department to expedite the process.
In a landmark judgment, the Gauhati High Court had on July 20 directed the Arunachal Pradesh Government to conduct the panchayat elections by December this year.
A change in structure from the three-tier Panchayati Raj system to a two-tier one had apparently delayed the rural election in the State.
The term of the then three-tier panchayat bodies had expired on May 31 last.
“We are, however, yet to get the final verdict order of the court. The Government will take all steps to humbly comply with the court’s order,” the spokesperson said.
Also talking about the recent joining of 7 People’s Party of Arunachal’s (PPA) to the National People’s Party (NPP), the spokesperson said that there is no official communication on the same neither from the NPP nor from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) headquarters over the acceptance of their merger by the State Assembly Secretariat.
Felix also announced that the Monsoon Session of the 6th Legislative Assembly has been summoned to be held from August 27 to August 31 next.