K'taka govt decides to appoint administrators to gram panchayats until elections

So we expect the election process to begin in two-three months," he added.Demanding that elections should be held, opposition parties in the state had raised apprehensions about administrative appointing committees and accused the government of 'conspiring' to have ruling BJP workers as its members.

The Karnataka government on Thursday said it has decided to appoint administrators to gram panchayats in the state, until the elections are held for village bodies. The State Election Commission had last month announced postponement of gram panchayat polls citing COVID-19 pandemic.

Out of 6,025 gram panchayats, tenure of 5,800 gram panchayats would end by June-August 2020. "We have decided to conduct gram panchayat elections at the earliest, under the law, government has powers to appoint administrators or administrative committees during extraordinary situations.

We have now decided to appoint administrators to gram panchayats until the elections are held," Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy said. Speaking to reporters after the cabinet meeting, he said there were talks that the government may appoint administrative committees and appoint ruling party members to it, but it is not the case.

"We will have administrators to all GPs by Deputy Commissioners of districts.... the administrators can be there for only six months, before that elections should be held. So we expect the election process to begin in two-three months," he added.

Demanding that elections should be held, opposition parties in the state had raised apprehensions about administrative appointing committees and accused the government of 'conspiring' to have ruling BJP workers as its members. The Congress had even suggested continuation of sitting panchayat members until the polls are held, instead of appointing administrative committees.