Lok Sabha Question No. 3820 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-17
Subject: Election of Panchayats
Ministry: PANCHAYATI RAJ
Asked by: Akshaibar Lal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-† 3820

ANSWERED ON-17.03.2020

## ELECTION OF PANCHAYATS

## †3820. SHRI AKSHAIBAR LAL:

Will the Minister of PANCHAYATI RAJ be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is planning to hold elections for the Block Pramukh and Jila Panchayat Adhyaksh through direct voting by the general public in the States;
- (b) if so, the time by which it is likely to be held and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government has sent the proposal for holding elections for the Block Pramukh and Jila  Panchayat  Adhyaksh  through  direct  voting  by  the  general  public,  to  the  Election Commission;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (e) whether the Government has received proposal from the State Government of Uttar Pradesh regarding holding elections through direct voting by the general public and if so, the action taken in this regard?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

## (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) to (d) No, Sir. 'Panchayat', being 'Local Government', is a State subject and part of State list of Seventh Schedule of Constitution of India. Mandate for setting up of Panchayats is provided by Article 243 in Part IX of the Constitution of India. Accordingly, the Panchayats are setup and are operated  through  the  respective  State  Panchayati  Raj  Acts.  As  per  Article  243K  (4)  of  the Constitution, the Legislature of a State may, by law, make provision with respect to all matters relating  to,  or  in  connection  with,  elections  to  the  Panchayats.  Further,  as  per  the  Article 243C(5)(b) of the Constitution, the Chairperson of a Panchayat at the intermediate level or district level shall be elected by, and from amongst, the elected members thereof.

- (e) Yes, Sir. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has received proposal dated 10 th October 2019 from the State Government of Uttar Pradesh regarding holding elections through direct voting by the general public for Block Pramukh and Jila Panchayat Adhyaksh. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj requested all the State/Union Territory Governments for their views and comments on the topic. The views of States/ Union Territories received so far is given at Annexure .

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## Annexure

Annexure referred to in reply to part (e) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. †3820 answered on 17.03.2020.

|   S. No. | State/ Union Territory   | Views of States/Union Territories with respect to elections of Chairperson of Panchayat at intermediate &district level   |
|----------|--------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Andaman &Nicobar Islands | Direct elections are needed                                                                                               |
|        2 | Assam                    | Direct elections are needed                                                                                               |
|        3 | Bihar                    | Indirect elections are fine                                                                                               |
|        4 | Chhattisgarh             | Indirect elections are fine                                                                                               |
|        5 | Gujarat                  | Indirect elections are fine                                                                                               |
|        6 | Himachal Pradesh         | Indirect elections are fine                                                                                               |
|        7 | Karnataka                | Indirect elections are fine                                                                                               |
|        8 | Punjab                   | Indirect elections are fine                                                                                               |
|        9 | Sikkim                   | Direct elections are needed                                                                                               |
|       10 | Uttarakhand              | Direct elections are needed                                                                                               |
|       11 | Uttar Pradesh            | Direct elections are needed                                                                                               |
|       12 | West Bengal              | Indirect elections are fine                                                                                               |