The Congress authorities led by Chief Minister Sukhbinder Singh Sukhbinder to postpone native physique polls in Himachal Pradesh and lengthen the phrases of the Shimla mayor and deputy mayor, who’re seen as shut aides to the chief minister, has come beneath hearth from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Celebration.
“The panchayat elections will certainly be held. The quick focus of the federal government is catastrophe administration and rehabilitation of flood-hit households,” CM Sukh mentioned on October 10.
Earlier than deciding to postpone the gram panchayat elections scheduled for January 2026, the Sukh authorities had effected sweeping administrative reforms.
The Sukhumvit Cupboard, in its assembly on October 25, permitted a proposal to increase the time period of workplace of Chhota Shimla ward councilor, Shimla Mayor Surinder Chauhan and Deputy Mayor Uma Kaushal from two-and-a-half years to 5 years. The cupboard additionally permitted reorganization of over 100 gram panchayats, citing strategies from residents to shift voting to different villages.
In November final yr, the federal government agreed to improve 14 gram panchayats to nagar panchayats and elevate Baddi, Una and Hamirpur municipal councils to municipal companies.
The BJP criticized the transfer, accusing the Congress authorities of “circumventing the democratic course of and operating away from elections”. “The Suku authorities is conscious that its reputation is declining with every passing day. Its costly ensures have turned out to be nothing greater than false guarantees,” mentioned Jai Ram Thakur, Chief of Opposition (LoP) and former Himachal CM.
BJP nationwide spokesperson Randhir Sharma alleged that the Congress was making an attempt to “strengthen its grip on native our bodies forward of the polls” by means of these “politically motivated” selections.
Lok Sabha Minister Rohit Thakur denied the Bharatiya Janata Celebration’s claims as baseless. “Much like 2023, pure calamities wreaked havoc in Himachal Pradesh, inflicting harm value Rs 6,000 crore to the state’s infrastructure. The federal government’s precedence is to revive connectivity. The federal government will not be operating away from the municipal polls. The polls have solely been postponed and can be held within the subsequent couple of months,” he mentioned.
State Industries Minister Harshvardhan Chouhan claimed that extending the phrases of Surinder Chouhan and Kaushal will convey “political stability”. “This was finished to forestall horse-trading. Elections each two-and-a-half years inspired opportunistic adjustments and instability in native authorities governance,” he claimed.
The Shimla Municipal Council elections have been final held in Might 2023 and the subsequent polling is scheduled to be held in Might 2028. The municipal elections for Solan, Palampur, Mandi and Dharamshala have been held in April 2021. Himachal has eight municipal companies: Shimla, Solan, Mandi, Palampur, Dharamshala, Baddi, Una and Hamirpur.
Panchayat polls have been final held within the state in January 2021, when 3,586 folks solid their votes out of three,615 gram panchayats, 81 panchayat samitis, 1,644 wards and 239 zilla parishads within the state.
