Gram pradhan administrators appointed in Uttar Pradesh after tenure ends, says Panchayati Raj body

The National Panchayati Raj Gram Pradhan Organisation has welcomed Uttar Pradesh’s decision to appoint outgoing gram pradhans as gram panchayat administrators for up to six months until new bodies are formed. The group says the move shows confidence in elected representatives over officials, citing a proposal submitted to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The National Panchayati Raj Gram Pradhan Organisation on Wednesday supported the Uttar Pradesh government’s plan to make outgoing gram pradhans administrators. The group said the step showed trust in elected village leaders. It also said the decision preferred public representatives over officials during the gap before new gram panchayats are formed.

The Uttar Pradesh government announced on Monday that village heads whose terms have ended will run gram panchayats as administrators. This arrangement will continue until new village panchayats are formed. The government set a limit of six months for this interim system.

Uttar Pradesh gram pradhan administrators decision

Speaking toVideos in Lucknow, the organisation’s president Akhilesh Singh said the state could have selected officials, as happened earlier. Singh said the government instead chose elected village heads. Singh also said there were two choices after the tenure ended. Singh thanked Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the decision.

Singh said the organisation submitted a proposal to the chief minister on April 20. The proposal sought the appointment of 57,694 gram pradhans as administrators. Singh said the new order matched what the group had requested from the state government.

Uttar Pradesh gram pradhan administrators and BJP assurance

Singh also referred to a commitment from Uttar Pradesh BJP president Ankit Chaudhary. Singh said Ankit Chaudhary assured on May 16 that gram pradhans would get the administrator role. Singh said the assurance has now been met through the government’s announcement.

"We want to thank the government and the organisation for giving responsibility to elected representatives. We will organise programmes at the state, divisional, district and block levels to inform people that the government has respected the democratic system and strengthened panchayats,\" he said.

The organisation also said it will raise the decision during the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. It linked the move to a broader choice between elected representatives and officials. It said it wants people to know which option the state government preferred during the transition period.

\"When the government had to choose between elected representatives and officials, it chose elected representatives. Therefore, we have also decided that during the 2027 assembly elections, we will tell people that the BJP and its government always give importance to elected representatives,\" Singh said.

With inputs from PTI