Shimla, Oct. 10 -- A fresh rift has emerged between the Himachal Pradesh government and the State Election Commission (SEC) over the timing of the Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) elections, originally proposed for December-January.
While Chief Secretary and Chairman of the State Executive Committee of Disaster Management, Sanjay Gupta, has ordered deferment of the polls under the Disaster Management Act citing extensive road damage and weather disruptions, the SEC has questioned the administrative overreach, insisting that conducting elections is solely its constitutional mandate.
In a notification issued yesterday, the Chief Secretary stated that panchayat elections will be conducted only after the restoration of damaged and closed road...