India, Feb. 23 -- Tension surfaced in Chimbel after residents accused the Chimbel Village Panchayat of failing to comply with provisions of the Panchayat Raj Act and alleged that the elected body was not functioning effectively.

Villagers claimed that despite directions issued by the Block Development Officer (BDO), the Panchayat did not convene the mandatory Gram Sabha meeting. Expressing dissatisfaction over the delay, a group of residents staged a protest outside the Panchayat office on Monday, demanding accountability and adherence to due process.

Following the demonstration, the Panchayat authorities agreed to hold the Gram Sabha on March 15. However, villagers have insisted that the meeting be conducted in an open space to ensure ...