Bid to rule out by-election to panchayat bodies

By Our Staff Correspondent

PATNA, MAY 23. With no let up in the aspirations for posts in the three-tier system of grassroot governance despite the completion of the election, the State Government is working hard to evolve a blueprint to permanently do away with the provision of byelection in the event of any vacancy.

The Chief Minister, Mrs. Rabri Devi, held a high level meeting, attended by the Chairman of the State Election Commission, Mr. M. L. Mazumdar, on Monday, to find a way out to amend the law accordingly. Obviously, the Government wants to take the SEC into confidence in this exercise to avoid any controversy and allegations of infraction of the law.

The haste with which the Government intends to change the law underscores the gravity of the problem, which started with the announcement of the election to the panchayat raj system. More than 40 candidates were killed ahead of the polls, which were completed in six bloody phases. The official death toll on polling days is around 50 while the unofficial toll is around 100.

The killings did not stop there. The post-poll scenario remained tense and rival candidates were eliminated even during the counting process. The contests were so keen that the results for at least four seats were tied with the opposing candidates polling the same number of votes, leaving the respective returning officers little options but to resort to an extra constitutional process to decide the outcome - the toss of a coin.

The government apprehends that there might not be any end to these murders with the losers keen to fulfil their desire by liquidating the winners with the ulterior motive of forcing a byelection. In its perception the only way to prevent further blood spilling was to convey in clear terms that none could gain from such nefarious designs by ruling out the possibility of byelections.

No less bothersome for the Government is the race that has begun for the post of Chairman of the Zilla Parishad in all the 37 districts of the State, though the counting process is yet to end. Aspirants are ``searching'' out the newly elected members who constitute the electoral college in their respective districts, creating problems for the government.

Compelled to intervene, the RJD president, Mr. Laloo Prasad Yadav, issued a warning that any attempt to grab the post through illegal methods of gratification and intimidation would be sternly dealt with. The State Government has alerted the Vigilance Department to keep a close eye on the movement of probable aspirants and take action against those found guilty in this respect.

It is not without reason that the Chief Minister has decided to hold a three-day training camp of all the newly elected members of the panchayat in Patna. More than one lakh members of the panchayat, panchayat samitis and the zilla parishads and mukhiyas are to attend the meeting, the date for which is still to be decided.

Apart from the apparent political reason for holding the meeting, the other purpose is to tell these ``grassroot'' leaders their duties and responsibilities so as to avoid any confrontation with the district and block officials. The Government is busy drawing up the powers that are to be delegated to them.

One of them is education. The panchayats would be free to appoint ``para-teachers'' for schools without teachers or to replace those neglecting their jobs. The idea is to give employment at the village level through stipends of Rs. 1500 to Rs. 2000 a month. Mr. Yadav maintained that each such village would have school buildings within six months.

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