Bus Owners Advocate Delay in Uttarakhand Panchayat Elections Amid Chardham Yatra

An association of bus owners has requested the Uttarakhand State Election Commissioner to delay panchayat elections until after June 15 due to the peak of the Chardham Yatra. Conducting elections during this period could disrupt pilgrimage services. The request underscores concerns over operational challenges and interests of motor owners and passengers.

The Association of Bus Owners on the Chardham Yatra route has called for the postponement of Uttarakhand's panchayat elections, urging they be held after June 15.

In a letter directed to State Election Commissioner Sushil Kumar Sharma and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Naveen Ramola, vice president of the Transport and Tourism Development Cooperative Society Limited, emphasized the operational challenges stemming from the elections coinciding with the pilgrimage peak from April to mid-June.

The association contends that conducting elections during this period will disrupt the pilgrimage, as vehicles used for the Yatra will be requisitioned for electoral purposes. They argue this will adversely affect both the pilgrimage services and the interests of motor owners and passengers.

(With inputs from agencies.)