Panchayati raj Act changes wrong 8212; CPi

CPI state secretary Joginder Dayal and its Legislature Party leader Hardev Arshi said it only reflected deep sense of desperation and frustration among the Akali leadership after the Lok Sabha elections.

They called upon the Governor not to give his approval to the ordinance to be issued to amend the Act for this purpose. The CPI is consulting legal experts to challenge the proposed amendment in the court.

The CPI has also criticised the decision to reduce the number of members of the panchayat samiti. The party apprehends that the state government might create zones for reserve seats favourable to the Akali Dal with about nine sarpanches electing one samiti member.

These leaders said the entire exercise would reduce the panchayati raj to a farce which would be against the spirit of 75th Amendment.