Ward-wise panchayat poll will divide villagers: Cong
Sunday, 25/11/2012
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20121125/punjab.htm#11
Patiala : The Punjab Government's decision to hold the panchayat elections ward wise has drawn flak from several quarters, including the Congress, which believes that the move is aimed at strengthening the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) vote bank in rural Punjab.
While a survey is on in all districts, the Congress alleges favoritism in ward-wise division of houses and believes that it will divide the villages on political lines.
With the Rural Development Department imparting training to officials to complete the process at the earliest, political observers say the process will create a political divide in the already sensitive villages. Sources said the deputy commissioners had been told to ensure the completion of the survey in one month so that elections scheduled in May 2013, were held as per the new system.
"The election process is set to get murkier as candidates will divide the villagers by playing the party card which will disturb peace in villages," stated a Congress leader.
Behind this claim of the Congress is the fear that the elections will give an ideal platform to the SAD workers at the grass-roots level to show their working, the observers said, adding it is not a hidden fact that majority of SAD's vote back is based in Punjab villages and therefore SAD wants to capitalise on it.
As per the new system, a village with 300 to 1,000 population will have five wards, a panch heading every ward. Similarly, villages with 1,000-2,000 population will have seven panches, above 5,000 but below 10,000 will have 11 panches while above 10,000 will have 13 panches.
