Jaipur, Aug 17 (IANS) The Rajasthan government led by Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma has announced new dates for the reservation lottery for Zilla Parishad members, Pradhans, Panchayat Samiti members, Sarpanches and Ward Panchs.
At the district level, the reservation lottery for Zilla Parishad members, Pradhans and Panchayat Samiti members will now be held on September 17.
At the sub-division level, the lottery for reservation of Sarpanches and Ward Panchs will be conducted on September 18. Meanwhile, the reservation lottery for 10,245 wards across 309 Urban Local Bodies in the state will be held today.
The Panchayati Raj reservation lottery was earlier scheduled for August 17 and 18. Its postponement by nearly a month has triggered fresh speculation over the timing of elections and the possible implementation of the Model Code of Conduct in rural areas.
According to an order issued by the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department, the reservation lottery process for the posts of District Pramukh had already been completed on August 13.
In view of the possibility that Panchayati Raj elections may be conducted in the second phase, the department has now fixed separate dates for the reservation lottery of Zilla Parishad members and heads at the district level, and Sarpanches and Ward Panchs at the sub-division level.
If elections to Urban Local Bodies and Panchayati Raj institutions are conducted in separate phases, the Model Code of Conduct may not be imposed in rural areas simultaneously with the urban body elections.
In such a scenario, election-related restrictions would not immediately affect the pace of development work in Panchayat areas. However, the exact timing and scope of the Model Code of Conduct in rural areas will become clear only after the State Election Commission announces the final election schedule.
The Panchayati Raj Department has not cited a specific reason for suddenly postponing the reservation lottery for Panchayati Raj institution wards by nearly a month.
In its order, the department referred to the High Court’s direction to complete Panchayati Raj elections by November. The order also mentioned the possibility of holding Panchayati Raj elections in the second phase after the Urban Local Bodies elections. While the department has indicated that it will comply with the High Court’s directions, the possibility of a second-phase election schedule has led to the postponement of the reservation lottery.
The reservation lottery for 10,245 wards of 309 urban local bodies across Rajasthan will be conducted today. Urban Local Bodies elections are expected to be held in the first phase. Once the reservation status of the wards is finalised, the electoral calculations of both the BJP and Congress are likely to change.
In wards where the reservation category changes, several sitting councillors and prospective candidates may have to look for alternative constituencies.
At the same time, the new reservation structure could open opportunities for fresh faces who have been preparing for the elections for a long time.
–IANS
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