Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday raised strong objection against government’s decision to appoint administrators to 14,000-gram panchayats.
Fadnavis demanded that the order issued by the Rural Development Department for “political appointments” in the gram panchayat should be withdrawn immediately. In a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, the BJP leader asserted that this order was an attack on democratic traditions.
On July 13, state Rural Development Minister Hassan Mushriff issued a GR allowing the appointment of Zila Parishad chief executive officers (CEO) as the administration to 14,000-gram panchayats. The order states that the Zila Parishad CEO can be appointed as administrators to the gram panchayats in consultation with their respective district guardian ministers.
Labelling this move as “politically motivated”, Fadnavis said that it was unethical to push political appointments in gram panchayat amid the coronavirus crisis in Maharashtra.
Earlier, the elections to 14,000-gram panchayats in Maharashtra were put to hold due to the coronavirus outbreak and the state election commission (SEC) had instructed the Maharashtra government to appoint administrators.
“Although the Election Commission directed the appointment of administrators, it does not mention the appointment of political administrators anywhere. The decision of Congress, Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) alliance to push their local political leaders or handpick individuals to head gram panchayats is not correct,” Fadnavis said.
The elections are to be held in at least 50 per cent gram panchayats around November but it seems like the government is planning to destroy the democratic tradition at the panchayat level by making political appointments, the BJP leader asserted.
“Elections are the soul of democracy and no one has the right to destroy them. The Uddhav Thackeray government should withdraw this order or else it will break the entire backbone of the Panchayat Raj system,” Fadnavis, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Maharashtra legislative assembly asserted.
The Sarpanch council has also expressed displeasure and has decided to challenge the decision in the Bombay High Court. Since the elections can’t happen due to COVID-19 situation, they have sought an extension for Sarpanches in gram panchayats whose tenure is expected to end in August or September.
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