Jaipur, July 25 (IANS). Preparations for the upcoming Rajasthan Panchayat elections have intensified. The Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj has assigned important responsibilities to District Collectors and Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) as part of the election process.
The department has empowered collectors and SDMs to determine category-wise reservation for elected representatives in Panchayati Raj institutions.
These orders have been issued by Jogaram, Secretary and Commissioner of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department.
Under the new system, district collectors will determine reservation for the posts of heads as well as wards of district councils and panchayat committees in their respective districts.
Similarly, Sub-Divisional Officers (SDOs)/SDMs will finalize the reservation for Gram Panchayat wards and Sarpanch posts in their respective jurisdictions.
However, before finalizing the reservation matrix, officials will have to wait for the OBC (Political) Commission report, which is expected by August 5.
The election schedule is likely to be announced by the State Election Commission after the reservation is notified.
Elections for 41 district councils, 457 panchayat samitis and 14,403 gram panchayats across the state are proposed to be held by November.
The Rajasthan government told the High Court that the OBC (Political) Commission will complete its survey and submit its report by August 5 in compliance with the court’s directions issued on July 15.
After the submission of the report, the reservation process through the lottery system is expected to be completed by August 15.
The lottery for reservation of the posts of Sarpanch, Deputy Sarpanch, Pradhan, District Head and Ward members will be conducted under the supervision of District Collectors at the district headquarters and SDMs at the sub-division level.
During a recent hearing before the Rajasthan High Court, the State Election Commission indicated that the election process is likely to begin in August, and voting will be conducted in four phases.
As per the provisional schedule presented before the Court, the election process is proposed to be completed by November 15, which is in line with the Court’s direction to complete the entire process within 90 days.
The final election schedule will be announced by the State Election Commission after the reservation process is completed.
–IANS
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