Rajasthan govt appoints administrators as Panchayat chiefs term ends
Jaipur, Dec 8
The Rajasthan government has initiated a major administrative step as the tenure of Panchayat Samiti Pradhans and Zila Parishad chiefs begins to expire across the state.
Instead of extending the terms or appointing existing leaders as administrators, the government has decided that Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) will take charge of Panchayat Samitis, while District Collectors will serve as administrators of District Councils.
According to orders issued by the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department, SDMs will be appointed in all Panchayat Samitis whose terms are ending by December 11, with District Collectors given the discretion to decide which officer will oversee each area.
A total of 222 Panchayat Samitis in 21 districts, including Udaipur, Tonk, Rajsamand and Sikar, are set to complete their terms this month.
Earlier, the government had appointed Divisional Commissioners as administrators after the expiry of terms in Jaipur, Jodhpur and Kota Municipal Corporations.
Meanwhile, District Collectors will assume charge in districts such as Jaisalmer, Ajmer, Banswara, Churu, Hanumangarh, Jhalawar, Jalore and others.
This move marks a departure from the previous policy in which outgoing Sarpanches were appointed as administrators after elections were delayed in several Panchayats, and temporary committees were formed to continue governance.
Panchayat Samiti Pradhans had demanded an extension similar to Sarpanches and raised the matter with the Panchayati Raj Minister and the Chief Minister, but the government rejected the request and reinstated the earlier procedure of appointing administrative officers.
The new system will remain in place until fresh elections are conducted.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good move! This should reduce local politics and corruption at the panchayat level for some time. Hope the officers use this period to clear pending projects and focus on public welfare, not just maintain status quo. 🤞
But why were the elections delayed in the first place? The government should have planned better. Now we have appointed officers instead of elected representatives. This is not ideal for grassroots democracy, even if it's temporary.
My uncle is a Sarpanch in Sikar. He says the local leaders are very upset. They feel sidelined. But as a common villager, I think an SDM might actually get our road repair file moving faster! Let's see.
Interesting administrative approach. From an outside perspective, it seems like a stop-gap measure. The key will be how quickly they organize the fresh elections. Bureaucratic administration can't replace local elected bodies for long.
Hope the Collectors and SDMs are given clear mandates and resources. They are already overburdened with other work. Without proper support, this will just be a change in nameplate, no real benefit for villages. ðŸ™
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