Jaipur : Due to the announcement of One State One Election in Rajasthan, the tenure of Gram Panchayats expiring in January 2025 can be extended. There is discussion going on in the government regarding this. However, the government has not yet taken any decision on this. The tenure of 6759 Gram Panchayats is completing in the month of January. Reorganization of Gram Panchayats, Panchayats and District Councils will take place only after the decision on new districts. In such a situation, elections can be postponed till then. Apart from this, the tenure of 704 Gram Panchayats will be completed in March 2025 and 3847 Gram Panchayats will be completed in September 2025. However, according to the provisions of the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments, it is mandatory to hold elections for Gram Panchayats every five years. In such a situation, the government will also have to give special reasons for postponing the elections. If sources are to be believed, the decision to extend the tenure of Sarpanches is said to be taken in the upcoming cabinet meeting.
Government in dilemma over administrators
If sources related to the Panchayat Raj Department are to be believed, the tenure of the Gram Panchayats whose tenure was earlier under the government was ending. There was consideration of appointing an administrator there but under Panchayat Raj rules, administrators cannot be appointed for more than 6 months. If the tenure of the administrators is extended, then for this the government will have to call a special session of the Assembly and pass a resolution and send it to the Centre.
The union had demanded extension of tenure on the lines of MP model.
Rajasthan Sarpanch Sangh had also demanded from Panchayat Raj Minister Madan Dilawar to extend the tenure of Sarpanches on the lines of Madhya Pradesh model, on which the Minister also said to test this model.
The tenure of these Panchayats and Gram Panchayats is coming to an end
At the same time, the tenure of Panchayats and District Councils is also ending next year. The tenure of 21 Zilla Parishad and 222 Panchayat Samiti is ending in November 2025, 6 Zilla Parishad and 78 Panchayat Samiti in August 2026, 2 Zilla Parishad, 22 Panchayat Samiti in October 2026 and 4 Zilla Parishad and 30 Panchayat Samiti in November 2026. The government has demanded to extend the tenure of Sarpanches on the lines of Madhya Pradesh model. Memorandums have been given to the Panchayat Raj Minister. Hopefully the government will consider our demand.- Banshidhar Garhwal, State President Rajasthan Sarpanch Sangh.
