Reservation roster of ZPs, Panchayat Samitis notified

Chandigarh, July 26

Capt Amarinder Singh-led Congress government has set the ball rolling for the elections to chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of 22 Zila Parsihads and 150 Panchayat Samitis in the state.

After sorting out the issue of reservation of wards, in consultation with the MLAs, the state government today notified the Punjab Reservation for the Office of Sarpanches of Gram Panchayats, Chairman and Vice-Chairman of Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishad Rules, 1994. Already delayed, the Deputy Commissioners will now be asked to conduct the elections in the next one month. Over the last few months, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) has been engaged with ministers, MLAs and other party leaders on amicably reserving the wards for Scheduled Caste and women candidates. “The reservation roster has been notified after due deliberations in the party and at the government level,” said a senior party leader engaged in the exercise.

Senior Cabinet minister Tript Rajinder Bajwa said after the elections to the Panchayat Samitis, the elections to the Zila Parishads would be held. After appointing the chairpersons of four Improvement Trusts, the state government has begun the process to announce the Block Samiti and Zila Parishad chairpersons.

A senior leader of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) said the entire exercise had already been completed and the announcements would be made before August 15. — TNS