Panchayat polls in Punjab by May 31 next yr: Rakhra

CHANDIGARH: Punjab would be holding Panchayat polls first time by ward system and elections would be completed in over 13,000 Panchayats by May 31, 2013 whereas Block Smiti and Zila Parishad elections would be conducted till May 15, 2013.

It was announced by Surjit Singh Rakhra, Rural Development and Panchayat Minister while presiding over a high level meeting of Deputy Commissioners and DDPOs to ensure smooth and fair conduction of the election process.

Rakhra said that this is for the first time that Panchayat election is being held through ward system in the state. He also issued strict instructions to the officers to complete demarcation process of the ward in the villages by January 31, 2013. 
He ordered the Deputy Commissioners to complete all the preliminary arrangements including the demarcation of ward in the stipulated time. He said the Deputy Commissioners concerned would be responsible for the redressal of the objections related to wardbandi.

He said that the department has received 403 new proposals for the constitution of new Panchayats in the state. He said that 219 proposals are incomplete which have been sent back to DDPOs for re-evolution. 

Rakhra also announced that the cattle fairs in the state would be organized by e-auctioning under the supervisions of concerned Deputy Commissioners. He said that the Punjab Government has already issued directions to the District officials to vacate the Village Common land (Shamlat) from the land grabbers. He instructed the DDPOs present in the meeting to ensure the implementation and to vacate the village common land.

Prominent among others present in the meeting included Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mantar Singh Brar, Finanicial Commissioner Rural Development Mandeep Singh Sandhu, Director Balwinder Singh Multani, Joint Development Commissioner Sukhjit Singh Bains and Deputy Director (Panchayats) Jaspal Singh.