Dehradun: The State Election Commission has postponed the process of election symbol allocation for the Panchayat elections. The Election Commission had to take this decision due to the High Court’s decision, which has banned people with voter lists in two places in the body and panchayat area from contesting elections. However, former Chief Minister Harish Rawat will observe a silent fast for 1 hour at his residence in Dehradun today in protest against this.
Raising questions through social media, Harish Rawat has said that what has happened to the commissions in this election. He also targeted the central government and said that the people of Delhi have also mortgaged their autonomy to the government. The commission is in a surrender mode in the earlier municipal elections and now in the Panchayat elections. He said that our Panchayati Raj Act clearly states that people whose names are in the urban body at the time of nomination, or even in the village, such people cannot contest elections. Their nomination should be rejected.
Harish Rawat said that in many districts including Tehri, such Panchs have been selectively accepted as Vaidya. Giving an example, he said that there are dozens of such candidates, including former District Panchayat President Sona Sajwan, who are being given benefits by the Election Officer under pressure from the government. But on the other hand, the introduction of candidates with Congress leanings is being rejected without any reason. What is even more ridiculous are the steps taken by the State Panchayat Commission. Harish Rawat said that those who were born from the Panchayat Raj Act of 2016, are flouting this very Act.
In protest against this, he has decided to observe a silent fast for 1 hour at his residence today. He also warned that the Commission should not force him to do this. If the Commission continues to have a sense of surrender in front of the government in this way, then no one can stop him from sitting on a fast in front of the Commission.
