Parliament Question: Panchayat Elections in Manipur

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRYOF PANCHAYATIRAJ LOK SABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO– 1486 ANSWEREDON- 29/07/2025 PANCHAYATELECTIONS IN MANIPUR

1486.DR. ANGOMCHABIMOLAKOIJAM:

Will the Minister of PANCHAYATIRAJ be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is aware that the last Panchayat elections in Manipur were conducted in September 2017 and were due again by September 2022, but have not yet been held, leading toa gapin localself-governance and representationin rural areas;

(b) if so, the reasons for the delayinconducting these elections;

(c) the steps being taken by the Government to ensure that Panchayat elections are heldpromptlyto upholdthe constitutional mandatefor localGovernance; and

(d) whether the Government has any plans to address the challenges hindering the timelyconductof Panchayat elections,andif so, the detailsthereof? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FORPANCHAYATIRAJ (PROF.S.P.SINGH BAGHEL)

(a) to (d) “Panchayat”, being “Local Government”, is a State subject and part of State List of Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. Panchayats are set up and operate through the respective State Panchayati Raj Acts which may vary from State to State, subject to the provisions of the Constitution.Article 243E(1) of the Constitution provides holding of elections to the Panchayats every five years. Further, Article 243E(3) of the Constitution provides that elections to constitute a Panchayat shall be completed before the expiry of its duration of five years or before the expiration of a period of six months from the date of its dissolution. Therefore, the timelyholding of Panchayatelections ina Stateor Union Territory is a Constitutional requirement. Accordingly, the States and Union Territories have made provisions in their State Panchayati Raj laws relating to holding of elections to the Panchayats.

1In State of Manipur, last General elections to Panchayats (for Gram Panchayats and Zilla Parishads) were held in October 2017 and tenure of those Panchayats has been completed in October 2022. Till that time, State of Manipur had two-tier Panchayati Raj system i.e. Gram Panchayat at village level and Zilla Parishad at District level.After that, vide Gazette notification dated 20thFebruary, 2023, the provision of “Panchayat Samiti”

(BlockPanchayat)hasbeen inserted inthe Manipur PanchayatiRaj Act 1994.

Govt. of Manipur has informed that finalization of technicalities involving administration of PanchayatSamitis isunderprocess. The 6thGeneral Election toPanchayats in Manipur was scheduled to be held in June, 2023. However, due to the prevailing law and

order situation in the State, all further processes related to 6thGeneral Panchayat Elections were suspended. The State of Manipur was declared as “Disturbed Area”, vide Gazette

notification dt. 27.09.2023.Presently, vide gazette notification dt. 13.02.2025,the President’s

Rule hasbeenimposed inManipur.

Panchayat elections are usually delayed due to administrative issues, court cases, litigation, delimitation of panchayats, reservation in Panchayats etc., of the states, which fall within the purview of the States. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj issues advisories, from time totime,tothe States for timelyconductof PanchayatElections.

The Government of Manipur has informed that it is actively working to resolve the issues related to conflict. Law and order machinery has been strengthened and dialogues for peaceful resolution have been attempted. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has issued an advisory on 18.12.2024 to the Government of Manipur requesting therein to remove administrative hurdlesand conductthe Panchayatelectionswithout any further delay.

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