Justice Ranjit Singh (retired) of the Punjab & Haryana High Court on Friday has asserted that the importance of unanimously elected panchayats that can save Punjab from further degradation and help revive “good governance” in the state.
Justice Singh told media that a unanimously elected panchayat can save time and reduce burden on the court and the administration.
He stated that, “Under the Panchayati Raj Act, the Panchayat is empowered to resolve minor issues. However, the Panchayati powers are not being fully utilized because, after a hard-fought election, the elected Sarpanch often faces resistance from the opposing side, which is unwilling to cooperate.”
Justice Ranjit Singh added, “We believe that if elections are held unanimously, candidates who have the consensus of everyone can be chosen. This way, minor issues can be resolved within the panchayat. For example, if a matter goes to court but is then compromised within the Panchayat, the court can dismiss it on that basis for minor offences. This approach would reduce the burden on the court and the administration.”
Furthermore he added that, unanimous panchayats will help the judiciary deliver timely justice and will bring about significant improvements in law & order.
He stated that, “Unanimously elected impartial Panchayats can pave the way for good governance on one hand and also save rural Punjab from further degeneration on the other. Unanimously elected Gram Panchayats will restore harmony in villages plagued by various evils like factionalism, violent rivalry, unwanted litigation and destructive competition.”
