The political landscape in Ajmer has heated up as the District Rural Congress unit formally challenged the recent delimitation of panchayat samitis. On Monday, the party submitted a detailed petition at the district election office, demanding a complete cancellation and fresh re-delimitation exercise ahead of the crucial local bodies elections.
Allegations of Political Pressure and Rule Violations
The petition was presented by the district rural President and Congress MLA, Vikas Choudhary. It carries a serious accusation that the current delimitation was conducted under pressure from the BJP government. With elections for local bodies scheduled in the coming months, the Congress party claims this exercise was manipulated to give the BJP an unfair advantage in the upcoming Panchayat Samiti polls.
The core of the complaint hinges on alleged violations of the Election Commission's directives. The petition points out glaring discrepancies in voter distribution across the newly drawn wards. "The present delimitation done by the district administration did not follow the rules," the petition states, highlighting that some wards have a voter count exceeding 20,000, while others have numbers much lower than 20,000.
Specific Discrepancies Cited in Petition
According to established norms, a population of 4,00,000 should correspond to 17 wards. However, the Congress alleges that the number of wards in Ajmer is currently less than this prescribed figure. The petition provides a detailed breakdown, stating there are 11 wards created with a population lower than the rules allow. Conversely, 10 other wards have been formed with a population higher than the limit.
Beyond population figures, the Congress has built a robust legal argument against the delimitation. The party listed 27 specific legal points that it claims were violated by the district administration during the boundary-drawing process. Examples of new wards where the Panchayat Raj Act was not followed were also provided to substantiate their case.
A Call for Free and Fair Elections
The petition concludes with a direct appeal to the district election official. The Congress has demanded an opportunity to present its viewpoint formally. This, they argue, is essential to ensure the upcoming elections are conducted in a free and fair manner, untainted by administrative bias or political interference.
The move sets the stage for a significant administrative and political tussle in Ajmer district. The district election office's response to this petition will be closely watched, as it will directly impact the electoral map and the political fortunes of parties in the imminent Panchayat Samiti elections.
