Madhya Pradesh government proposes to delay panchayat polls

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Madhya Pradesh government has proposed to postpone the three-tier panchayat elections in the state.

A decision on this regard was taken in a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday.

During the meeting, state Panchayat Minister Mahendra Singh Sisodia put forth a proposal before the Cabinet to rescind an ordinance which the state government had recently issued to conduct elections.

The Cabinet gave its nod to the proposal which has been sent to the Governor.

"The Cabinet has decided to postpone the panchayat elections in Madhya Pradesh as of now. The government has sent the ordinance to the Governor to rescind it. However, further action is the prerogative of the Raj Bhavan followed by the State Election Commission," said Narottam Mishra, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister and government spokesperson, on Sunday.

Mishra added that the BJP government had initiated for panchayat elections in the state carrying all sections of people but the Congress did not support the proposal and put hurdles time and again.

The Minister alleged that the Congress went to the Supreme Court on December 17 and the latter put a stay on the OBC reservation.

"Our government has already announced in the state Assembly that panchayat elections will not be conducted without OBC reservation in Madhya Pradesh and an ordinance was also passed. Now it's up to the State Election Commission to decide on the matter," the BJP leader added.

On December 17, the Supreme Court while hearing a petition related to OBC reservation in Maharashtra had put a ban and instructed the Madhya Pradesh government to follow the same rules.