Nearly 60 per cent women candidates fighting panchayat polls in Assam

Guwahati, April 12 (IANS) Nearly 60 per cent of candidates fighting for the upcoming Panchayat polls in Assam are women, said Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday.

The CM also mentioned that a major section of candidates contesting elections are under 40 years of age.

Taking to X handle, CM Sarma wrote, "Nominations for #AssamPanchayatPolls concluded yesterday. 59% of our candidates are women. A large number are also under 40 and many have already won uncontested. The NDA is heading for a landslide victory."

The panchayat elections were due in Assam since December last year, however, the state administration could not proceed with the notification of polls due to bar from a court.

The government had requested the court to allow the elections to take place without further legal entanglements, emphasising the need for the polls to proceed in panchayats despite ongoing cases. Following multiple hearings, the Gauhati High Court in January permitted holding panchayat polls.

Reacting to the court's order, CM Sarma had said, "The High Court (Gauhati) has given the permission today to conduct Panchayat elections. However, we have lost the time, as if we start from today, the elections can be held in mid-February. But we have examinations for class 10 and 12 in the next month, and conducting an election at that time will create a lot of trouble for the students in the villages. Moreover, it will be difficult to get halls for counting votes."

Notably, the Gauhati High Court had barred panchayat elections after multiple petitions claimed discrepancies in the constituency redetermination process. These petitions argued that the elections should be postponed until these errors are rectified.

For Assam, where panchayats serve as the first line of governance and public service delivery in rural areas, this postponement is more than just an administrative hiccup. It directly impacts local self-governance, citizen engagement, and development initiatives in the villages.

--IANS

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