Justice Ranjit Singh Advocates for Unanimously Elected Panchayats to Improve Punjab
Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], July 5: Justice Ranjit Singh (retired) of the Punjab and Haryana High Court emphasized the importance of unanimously elected panchayats to save Punjab from further degradation and revive good governance in the state.
Justice Singh explained that a unanimously elected panchayat can save time and reduce the burden on the court and administration. He stated, “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.”
He 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.”
Justice Singh also mentioned that unanimous panchayats will help the judiciary deliver timely justice and bring significant improvements in law and order. He said, “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.”
