Himachal govt defers Panchayat polls amid connectivity woes

The Himachal Pradesh government has postponed the Panchayati Raj Institution elections that were scheduled for December, citing extensive damage to roads and infrastructure caused by the 2025 monsoon.

Chief Secretary and Chairman of the State Disaster Management Authority, Sanjay Gupta, issued the order under Section 24(e) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. The notification stated that elections will only be possible once proper road connectivity is restored across the state.

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“The state has suffered significant losses due to the recent disaster. Connectivity has been disrupted and road conditions remain poor. Deputy Commissioners of several districts have written to the Panchayati Raj Secretary regarding this matter. Elections will be held only after the situation and connectivity improve, so that voters and polling personnel are not inconvenienced,” the order read.

It is stated that the Deputy Commissioners of Mandi, Kangra, Hamirpur and Shimla districts had requested the State Disaster Management Authority to invoke the Disaster Management Act to ensure the safety of voters, polling staff and election material.

They urged that polls be held only after full connectivity and restoration of damaged roads across the state to prevent any untoward incidents.

The decision marks a shift from the government’s earlier position. Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had said during the monsoon session that the state had no plans to postpone the Panchayat Raj elections. Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh had also maintained that elections would be held on schedule.

This time, elections were due in 3,577 panchayats across the state to elect members for 249 zila parishad wards and 91 panchayat samitis. As per constitutional provisions, reservations are provided for the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and women at all three levels of the Panchayati Raj system. The post of deputy pradhan remains the only unreserved position.

Meanwhile, the opposition BJP has strongly criticized the decision, accusing the Congress government of avoiding public accountability.

Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said, “The Chief Minister and his government cannot face the people and are delaying the Panchayat elections under the guise of the disaster. Knowing defeat is certain, the Congress first avoided the Municipal Corporation and Municipal Body polls and has now postponed the Panchayat elections. Everything was scripted.”

BJP state president Dr. Rajeev Bindal condemned the Congress-led state government for postponing the Panchayati Raj elections, calling it a politically motivated move against democracy.

He said Congress fears defeat at the grassroots level, with many Panchayat heads likely to lose.

“Postponing elections harms the biggest festival of democracy—voting,” he said. He pointed out that the sequence of administrative actions—from letters by Deputy Commissioners to a disaster notification by the Revenue Department—shows the government never intended to hold elections.

BJP MLA Trilok Jamwal alleged that the Congress is “running away from the Panchayati Raj elections,” adding that the government has been using excuses like incomplete voter lists and the pending census to delay the process.