Dainik Nation News Portal
DAINIK NATION BUREAU/DEHRADUN
The Uttarakhand State Election Commission has issued a strong clarification following the circulation of misleading information on social media regarding the eligibility of candidates in the ongoing Panchayat elections.
According to a statement released by the Secretary of the Commission, false claims are being propagated that candidates whose names appear in both urban and rural electoral rolls may be deemed ineligible. It is also being wrongly asserted that the State Election Commission has recently issued new guidelines on candidate eligibility.
Refuting these claims, the Commission clarified that no new instructions have been issued. All procedures related to Panchayat elections are strictly governed by the Uttarakhand Panchayati Raj Act, 2016 (as amended), and the Commission, as well as all stakeholders, are bound to follow its provisions.
The Act clearly defines the right to vote and be elected. As per Section 9(13), any individual whose name appears on the electoral roll of a territorial constituency of a Gram Panchayat is eligible to vote and to contest elections. Similar provisions are stipulated in Section 54(3) for Area Panchayats and Section 91(3) for District Panchayats.
Disqualifications are clearly outlined in Sections 8, 53, and 90 for Gram, Area, and District Panchayats respectively. There are no disqualifying provisions based merely on the presence of a name in both urban and rural voter lists.
The Commission has urged the public, prospective candidates, and the media to disregard unverified information and rely solely on official sources and the Panchayati Raj Act for guidance. For any doubts or clarifications, stakeholders are advised to contact the respective District Election Officers or the State Election Commission directly.
