Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 21: The Congress has lashed out at the PDP-BJP Coalition Govt for weakening the Panchayat Raj system in the State by way of amendment to the Panchayat Raj Act, providing for indirect election of Sarpanch, which goes contrary to the basic spirit of 73rd amendment of the Constitution.
Reacting to the assent to the amendment in the State Panchayat Raj Act, which was initially withheld by the Governor due to strong opposition from all concerned quarters especially by the Congress party, which had moved a petition to the Governor on July 8, last year and held a dharna outside Raj Bhawan Jammu on July 9 2016, against the bill terming the same, as anti-democratic, retrograde and against the basic spirit of 73rd amendment. PCC today said that the amendment would deprive the Panchayats of their authority in the absence of a directly elected Sarpachs.
Now, with this retrograde amendment, the present Govt has taken out soul of the Panchayat Raj system and diluted the spirit of 73rd amendment. Not only this, the new amendment also provides for merging several existing and new created CD Blocks, thus the people would be deprived of Block Development Councils (BDCs) in several areas.
Terming the move as politically motivated in order to managed and control the Panchayat institutions by the ruling coalition, PCC chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said that the PDP which seeks ‘self-rule’ and BJP which used to shed crocodile tears for empowerment of PRIs, stand totally exposed and the later having further surrendered on the issue, for the sake of power. Instead of further, strengthening democracy and grass root institutions, the present coalition has taken a step in reverse and opposite direction.
He further said, as per original Panchayat Raj Act, the delimitation of Panchayats and elections were to be conducted by an independent Election Commission, appointed through a impartial and transparent manner on the recommendation of a Committee headed by Chief Minister including Speaker of Assembly and Leader of Opposition but that provision too, has been by-passed.
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