CHANDIGARH: The State Election Commission on Sunday  postponed the general elections to 260 Gram Panchayats in 17 districts that were scheduled to be held on 26th May, 2008.

Disclosing this here  a spokesman of the Election Commission Punjab said that in pursuant to the directions of  Punjab and Haryana High Court in CWP No.7628/08 and other connected Civil Writ Petitions. Hon'ble Punjab and Haryana High Court in CWP No.7628/08 and other similar Civil Writ Petitions, the Commission has directed that the general elections be also held to new Gram Panchayats set up on or after April 11, 2008 in the 17 districts.  Accordingly, it would be necessary to postpone the elections in the parent Panchayat (s) which were scheduled to be held on 26th May, 2008 so that elections to both the parent Panchayats and the newly set up Panchayats were held later. 

The Commission has directed that the elections to Gram Panchayats falling in this category are hereby postponed and separate schedule for conduct of elections to these Gram Panchayats would be issued subsequently.

Meanwhile, the State Election Commission  directed all the Electoral Officers to accept the nomination papers of the Anganwari Workers provisionally as they have been entitled provisionally to file nomination papers to Gram Panchayats.

He said that in compliance of the directions of  High Court in these Civil Writ Petitions, the nomination papers of the petitioners be accepted provisionally.  Strict compliance of the directions of the Hon'ble High Court may be ensured.

The election commission has also taken serious view of snatching and tearing off  nomination papers by anti-social elements from the returning officers in Sunam, Guru Har Sahai and inefficient handling of nomination papers by Shri Sukhwinder Singh, AFSO Barnala, Returning Officer (Cluster No.5) Block Barnala. The election in gram Panchayats falling under these areas will be rescheduled.