Rajasthan panchayat poll: Collectors, SDMs assigned key reservation responsibilities
Jaipur, July 25
Preparations for the upcoming Rajasthan Panchayat elections have gathered momentum, with the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department assigning key responsibilities to District Collectors and Sub-Divisional Magistrates as part of the election process.
The department has authorised Collectors and SDMs to determine category-wise reservations for elected representatives in Panchayati Raj institutions.
The orders have been issued by Jogaram, Secretary and Commissioner of the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department.
Under the new arrangement, District Collectors will determine reservations for wards in Zila Parishads and Panchayat Samitis, as well as for the posts of Pradhan within their respective districts.
Similarly, Sub-Divisional Officers (SDOs)/SDMs will finalise reservations for Gram Panchayat wards and the posts of Sarpanch in their jurisdictions.
However, officials will have to wait for the OBC (Political) Commission's report, which is expected by August 5, before finalising the reservation matrix.
Once reservations are notified, the State Election Commission is expected to announce the election schedule.
Elections are proposed to be completed by November for 41 Zila Parishads, 457 Panchayat Samitis, and 14,403 Gram Panchayats across the state.
The Rajasthan government told the High Court that the OBC (Political) Commission would 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 a lottery system is expected to be completed by August 15.
The lottery for reserving seats of Sarpanchs, Up-Sarpanchs, Pradhans, Zila Pramukhs, and ward members will be conducted under the supervision of District Collectors at district headquarters and SDMs at the sub-divisional 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, with polling expected to be conducted in four phases.
As per the tentative schedule presented before the court, the election process is proposed to conclude by November 15, in line with the court's directive to complete the entire exercise within 90 days.
The final election programme will be announced by the State Election Commission after the reservation process is completed.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Four phases for Panchayat elections? That's a lot! But I guess it's necessary given the size of Rajasthan. Let's hope the reservation process is completed by August 15 as planned. Our rural areas need strong leadership at the grassroots level.
Interesting how the reservation determination is being delegated to collectors and SDMs. Gives them significant control at district and subdivisional levels. The OBC commission report will be key—hope it's data-driven and impartial to ensure proper representation for all communities.
Finally some movement on Panchayat polls! Was getting delayed for too long. But I'm a bit concerned about the rush to complete everything by November—hope the quality of candidate selection and election monitoring doesn't suffer. Still, better late than never for local governance. 🇮🇳
One suggestion: the lottery-based reservation system should have public oversight. Often these processes end up favoring powerful local elites. Would be better if the whole procedure, including computerised randomisation, is livestreamed or made available on a public portal. Transparency builds trust.
Impressive scale here—over 14,000 gram panchayats! That's serious governance infrastructure. The 90-day court timeline seems tight but doable. I hope the OBC report comes in on time—without it, the whole reservation and election schedule could slip. Rajasthan is setting a good example for other states.
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