Panchayat Polls Row Sparks Fireworks on Day One of Himachal Assembly’s Winter Session
The winter session of the 14th Himachal Pradesh Assembly kicked off with drama today, as opposition members stalled proceedings over the delay in Panchayat elections. The BJP forced a halt to Question Hour by moving an adjournment motion under Rule 67, setting a combative tone for the eight-day session that runs until December 5.
BJP MLA Randhir Sharma accused the government of shirking its constitutional duty by not holding elections on time. Opposition members gathered in protest, demanding the issue be addressed immediately. What began as a tense standoff soon turned into a full-fledged debate, with the government agreeing to discuss the matter.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu defended the Congress government, stressing that the issue is quasi-judicial and currently sub judice. He assured the House that the administration is acting strictly within the law, reminding members of Congress’s role in strengthening Panchayati Raj institutions and securing reservations for women. “If there is any true guardian of the law, it is the Congress Party,” Sukhu declared.
The day also carried symbolic weight, as Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania marked Constitution Day by leading members in reading the Preamble aloud. But the mood quickly shifted when Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur accused the government of deliberately delaying polls, likening the move to the Emergency of 1975. He argued that invoking the Disaster Management Act as a reason was unjustified, saying, “Even during COVID-19, elections were held. There is no bigger crisis than that today.”
Despite objections, Speaker Pathania cited Rule 72 to justify his handling of the adjournment motion. The Chief Minister then read out the agenda, and bills cleared by the President and Governor were tabled, closing a fiery first day of the session.
