PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The State Election Commission (SCE) issued the notification for the by-election to fill the vacant seats in the three tier Panchayati Raj bodies in 12 districts of the State on Tuesday.
The candidates can submit their nomination papers for the vacant posts of member village Panchayats, Pradhan village Panchayats, member block Panchayats and member district Panchayat between 10 AM to 5 PM on November 13 and 14. The scrutiny of the nomination papers will be done on November 15 while the candidates can withdraw their nomination papers between 10 AM to 3 PM on November 16. The symbols to the candidates will be allotted on November 16 after 3 PM. The voting will be held on November 20 between 8 AM to 5 PM while the counting of the votes will commence at 8 AM on November 22.
The candidates can purchase the nomination papers for the vacant posts of member village Panchayats, Pradhan village Panchayats and member block Panchayats at the respective office of the block Panchayat while that of member district Panchayats at district headquarters concerned.
The by-election is being necessitated to fill the vacant posts in the three tier Panchayati Raj bodies in 12 districts of the State- all the districts barring Haridwar-. The elections for these bodies were held in July this year.
The data of the SEC shows that 33,468 posts of Gram Panchayat member are still vacant due to which 4,772 duly elected Pradhans of the village Panchayats have failed to take oath of office and secrecy. As per the law, these Pradhans will be able to take oath only when the vacant posts of the Gram Panchayat members are filled. The voting to elect 55,587 Gram Panchayat members, 7,499 Gram Pradhans, 2,974 members of block Panchayat and 358 members of the district Panchayat in 12 districts of the State was held in two phases on July 24 and 28 in the 12 districts of the State.
