The State Election Commission of Arunachal Pradesh has officially declared the schedule for simultaneous general elections to the state's panchayati raj institutions and municipal bodies in Itanagar and Pasighat. The polling will be conducted in a single phase on December 15, marking a significant democratic exercise in the northeastern state.
Complete Election Schedule and Key Dates
State Election Commissioner Rinchin Tashi addressed a press conference in Itanagar on Saturday to outline the comprehensive election timeline. The electoral process will commence with the issuance of notifications by the State Election Commission and public notices by returning officers on November 17.
The nomination filing process will begin on November 24, followed by the scrutiny of nominations on November 26. Candidates will have until November 29 to withdraw their nominations. The counting of votes is scheduled for December 20, with the entire election process expected to be completed by December 23.
Historical Significance and Electoral Structure
This election holds particular historical importance as it represents the 12th general local bodies election for panchayati raj institutions since the implementation of the NEFA Panchayat Regulation in 1967, which was later followed by the Arunachal Pradesh Panchayat Raj Act of 1997.
For the urban local bodies, this will be the third general election for the municipalities of Itanagar and Pasighat. The state's panchayati raj structure includes 27 zilla parishad chairpersons representing 245 zilla parishad constituencies, along with 2,103 gram panchayat chairpersons covering 8,181 gram panchayat constituencies.
Electorate Details and Gender Representation
The urban municipal bodies comprise Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) with 20 wards and Pasighat Municipal Council (PMC) with eight municipal wards. The total electorate presents a fascinating demographic picture with 7,59,210 voters registered for panchayati raj institutions and 72,438 voters for municipal bodies, creating a combined electorate of 8,31,648 citizens.
A notable aspect of this election is the gender composition in panchayati raj institutions, where female electorate surpasses male electors. The elector gender ratio stands at an impressive 1,123 females per 1,000 males, indicating significant female participation in the grassroots democratic process.
The simultaneous elections aim to strengthen local governance structures across both rural and urban areas of Arunachal Pradesh, ensuring comprehensive representation and democratic participation at all levels of administration.
