The State Election Commission (SEC) of Punjab has officially set the ball rolling for crucial grassroots-level elections. On Monday, the commission issued a notification for conducting polls to fill vacant positions of sarpanches and panches in several villages across Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran districts.
Election Schedule and Key Dates
According to the official notification, the elections will be held on January 18. The electoral process targets specific gram panchayats in the two districts. In Gurdaspur district, the villages going to the polls include Kalanaour Mojowal, Kalanaur Purani, Kalanaur PAP, Kalanaour Chakri, Kalanaur Dhaki, and Kalanaour Zaildara. In Tarn Taran district, elections will be conducted in Kazi Kot, Nalagarh, Kakka Kandiala, Pandori Gola, and Mari Kamboke.
A critical deadline for prospective candidates is January 8, which is the last date for filing nomination papers. The entire election process is scheduled to be completed by January 19.
Model Code of Conduct in Force
With the issuance of the notification, the model code of conduct has come into immediate effect. An official spokesperson confirmed that the code is now imposed within the revenue jurisdiction of the concerned gram panchayats. This set of guidelines, which regulates the conduct of political parties and candidates, will remain in place until the election process concludes on January 19.
Significance of the Local Polls
Elections for sarpanch and panch positions are fundamental to India's democratic structure at the village level. These local body representatives are directly responsible for the administration and development of their respective villages. The announcement by the Punjab SEC is a step towards strengthening local governance and ensuring that these grassroots institutions have their full complement of elected members to serve the community effectively.
The focus now shifts to the nomination process, with political parties and independent candidates expected to gear up for the upcoming polls in these key districts of Punjab.
