Disclose criteria of reserving panchayats: SAD asks govt

Faridkot

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Parambans Singh Romana on Tuesday asked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government to disclose the criteria under which they were reserving panchayats in the state.

Addressing the media at Faridkot, Romana said, “It is for the first time in the history of the state that panchayats are being reserved on the whims and fancies of AAP legislators and halka incharges.”

He said till now, panchayats were reserved on the basis of their population or through draw of lots. “However this time, the panchayat department has given the list of panchayats to AAP leaders and given them the authority to reserve panchayats as per their wishes,” he said.

Asserting that the panchayat department would have to disclose the criteria under which reservation was being done, Romana said “If this is not done, we will approach the Punjab and Haryana high court.”

He said besides reserving panchayats where the SAD is strong, AAP leaders are also pressuring officers to not issue no-objection certificates to their opponents.

“No development has taken place in villages. Rural link roads are in a terrible shape. Villages have been denied grants. Water work schemes have been allowed to go to rot even as irrigation channels have not been repaired,” he said.