Hold Panchayat polls on schedule: BJP

Itanagar, Mar 15 (UNI) The BJP has urged the Arunachal Pradesh government to hold Panchayat elections within the stipulated time.

The party also urged the State Election Commission to exercise its constitutional right to hold the election after the expiry of the tenure of the present term of state panchayati raj institutions.

While demanding early conduct of municipal elections, the party said that due to the absence of municipalities or urban local bodies, the state has lost lot of funds from the 11th Finance Commission grants. If the elections are delayed further, the state would automatically lose the share of grants under 12th Finance Commission.

Stating that the Supreme Court in a number of judgements had held that local body elections must be completed before the duration of the five-year term of office of these bodies, the BJP pointed out that the Apex Court in its latest judgement on October 19, 2006, had directed that the panchayat and municipal elections must be held within the stipulated time frame.

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