Assam: No party symbol allowed at Gaon Panchayat election, says Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The next Panchayat poll in Assam will be party symbol-free at the Gaon Panchayat level but not at the Anchalik Panchayat and Zila Parishad level, where political parties will be allowed to use their party symbol to contest the polls. The Assam government has already amended the Panchayat Act to that effect.

This was stated by the state Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass. Talking to The Sentinel, Minister Dass said, “The Panchayat system is a three-tier one—the first is the Gaon Panchayat, the second is the Anchalik Panchayat, and the third is the Zila Parishad. As per the earlier provision, all political parties use their party symbol while participating in all three tiers of Panchayat in Assam. But, this time, political parties cannot use their party symbol when contesting in Gaon Panchayat. So, any individual desiring to contest the Gaon Panchayat election will be able to participate. The main motto of the government is to make the Gaon Panchayat election politics-free. Elected members of a particular Gaon Panchayat will elect the president and vice president of the Gaon Panchayat concerned. However, political parties can use their party symbol to contest the Anchalik Panchayat and Zila Parishad elections.”

Every Gaon Panchayat has 10 members, and the newly-elected members will be able to elect the Gaon Panchayat president and vice president. According to the earlier provisions, electors were able to elect the Gaon Panchayat president through direct voting. The vice president was, however, elected by the elected members.

At present, the five-year term of all Panchayats has expired. The Panchayat election in the state is considered the biggest electoral process, as people at all levels in rural areas are involved.

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