Punjab govt dissolves gram panchayats, panchayat samitis, zila parishads

The Punjab government has dissolved all gram panchayats, panchayat samitis and zila parishads with immediate effect and their elections will be held in November and December, according to an official order.

'The Governor of Punjab is pleased to direct that the general election of the members of the (i) the Panchayat Samitis and the Zila Parishads, shall be held by the 25th November, 2023; and (ii) the Gram Panchayats, shall be held by the 31st December, 2023,' according to the order dated August 10. There are 13,241 gram panchayats, 153 block samitis and 23 zila parishads in Punjab.

The government had recently said in a notification that elections to 39municipal councils and nagar panchayats in Punjab would be held between November 1 and 15.

Besides, by-elections to 27 wards of municipal councils and nagar panchayats and certain wards of municipal corporations of Bathinda, Batala and Hoshiarpur would also be held in the first fortnight of November.