The ruling BJP in Arunachal Pradesh secured victories in 39 gram panchayat member seats and two Zilla Parishad member seats during the recently concluded panchayat by-elections. It's worth noting that a significant portion of these victories were achieved uncontested, according to an official announcement.

The Congress party secured victory in five Gram Panchayat (GP) seats, while the National People's Party (NPP) claimed success in one seat. Additionally, nine independent candidates emerged victorious. The State Election Commission (SEC) secretary, Taru Talo, confirmed that out of the 54 vacant Gram Panchayat Member (GPM) seats and two Zila Parishad Member (ZPM) seats across 23 districts in the state, elections were conducted for one ZPM and five GPM seats. In the remaining constituencies, candidates were declared uncontested winners.

Talo explained that the seats became vacant for various reasons, such as due to deaths and resignations from the positions. Arunachal Pradesh comprises 25 Zila Parishads with 242 constituencies and 2,115 Gram Panchayats, offering a total of 8,145 seats.

On March 15, 2018, the state assembly took a significant step by passing the Arunachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill. This bill aimed to eliminate the Anchal Samiti, which served as the intermediate level in the three-tier Panchayati Raj system, and instead, established a two-tier mechanism within the state.

This action was taken in accordance with the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution, which allows states with a population of less than 20 lakhs to forego the intermediate level. Arunachal Pradesh has a population of 13.84 lakhs.

This move simplifies the state's governance structure, streamlining decision-making processes at the grassroots level. By doing away with the intermediate level, Arunachal Pradesh aims to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of its local self-governance, ultimately empowering its Gram Panchayats to play a more direct and influential role in the state's development.

Image source: Times of India