State Govt dissolves five ZPs including Nagpur

After a gap of over two-and-a-half years since the term of the present body in Nagpur Zilla Parishad (ZP) came to an end, Rural Development Department of Maharashtra Government dissolved the body on Thursday. Rural Development Department issued an order regarding dissolution of Akola, Washim, Dhule, and Nandurbar ZPs too, following the observations of the Supreme Court in this regard. Aseem Gupta, Principal Secretary, Rural Development Department, issued the order.

It stated that with dissolution of the bodies of ZPs and Panchayat Samitis under them the office of President, Vice-President, and Chairpersons of Subject Committees of ZPs; and those of Chairpersons, Deputy Chairpersons, and Chairpersons of the Committees of Panchayat Samitis became vacant simultaneously. Hence, as per the provisions of Maharashtra Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961, the Government has authorised Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Block Development Officer (BDO) ‘to exercise all the powers and perform all the duties’ of respective ZPs and Panchayat Samitis.

The orders were issued ‘in compliance of’ the Supreme Court’s observation in a special leave petition, bringing to ‘immediate cessation’ the extension granted to the said ZPs and Panchayat Samitis under them. In pursuance to Aseem Gupta’s order, Sharad Yadav, Desk Officer, has issued a letter in this regard to Divisional Commissioners of Nagpur, Amravati, and Nashik divisions. Vijay Lite, Desk Officer, has communicated the development to Nishant Katneshwarkar, Government Pleader in the Supreme Court, to bring it to the notice of the Supreme Court.

Though it was being talked about for the past two days, the order of dissolution of the five Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis was issued on Thursday. Nisha Sawarkar, President of Nagpur ZP, reacted to the development. She said that appointment of administrator would have an adverse impact on developmental works in rural areas and implementation of the schemes.

Hence, she said, Government should announce the elections to ZP early. “We are ready for the elections,” she added. Sharad Donekar, Vice-President of ZP, stressed that ZP elections should be held before the conduct of elections to State Legislative Assembly. “The elections must be held early to elect a new body, to keep a check on the officialdom,” he observed. Meanwhile, officials in the know of things said that usually the elections were not conducted in monsoon season, that is, between June and September. As such, elections to ZPs and Panchayat Samitis might be held after that. However, since the State Legislative Assembly elections are scheduled in September, it is likely that ZP and Panchayat Samiti elections might be held after that.

As far as Nagpur ZP is concerned, it will go to polls after more than seven years since the present body was elected. The present body was elected in the year 2012. After the initial two-and-a-half years when Sandhya Gotmare was the President, Nisha Sawarkar became the President at the end of the year 2014. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led alliance comprising Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Shiv Sena, and Gondwana Gantantra Party had come to power in March 2012. Sandhya Gotmare, a former ZP member of Congress party joined BJP just ahead of elections and was elected as President of ZP. Chandrashekhar Chikhale of NCP was given the position of ZP Vice-President. Gotmare had contested the election for the post of ZP President against BJP rebel Nisha Sawarkar who was supported by Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Republican Party of India (RPI).

After Gotmare completed her term of two-and-a-half years as ZP President, Nisha Sawarkar replaced her. Sawarkar got elected as BJP candidate with support of Shiv Sena, RPI, Gondwana Gantantra Party, and BSP. However, this time, Congress and NCP were together against BJP-led alliance but could not muster enough numbers in 58-member ZP House. Since then, Sawarkar retained the position till date. The elections were supposed to be held in early 2017, but could not be held due to one or the other reason. The elections to ZP were deferred and the present body got extension as State Government elevated Parseoni to the status of Nagar Panchayat on October 25, 2016. The very next day, Wanadongri also got the status of municipal council.

On April 18, 2018 Butibori was elevated to the status of municipal council. These developments changed the constitution of ZP circles. Later, writ petitions were filed in the High Court and the matter went up to the Supreme Court. All this resulted in postponement of ZP elections, and the body of office-bearers with Sawarkar as ZP chief continued to remain in position. In June 2016, the post of ZP President got reserved for Scheduled Caste (Woman). Previously, it was reserved for General (Woman). Rural Development Department issued an order in April 2017 granting extension to Nagpur ZP’s current body till the elections were held.

During the course of hearing, the court had asked State Government to conduct elections to newly formed Butibori municipal council, and also take decision regarding 50 per cent reservation for ZP circles within three months. In its directives to Divisional Commissioner and District Collector in March 2019, State Election Commission (SEC) stated that State Government had not taken any decision regarding 50 per cent reservation for ZP circles despite passage of three months. Besides, State Government did not take any decision in this regard despite letters, meetings, and telephonic conversation from SEC on September 9, 2018, January 10, 2019, and February 20, 2019. Also, the SEC had observed, the High Court had not granted any extension for the purpose. Hence, SEC stated, it had become necessary to hold elections to Nagpur ZP and Panchayat Samitis under it, and of Butibori municipal council.