Arunachal to hold panchayat and municipal elections in December

The Arunachal Pradesh State Election Commission (APSEC) has announced that elections to panchayati raj institutions and municipal bodies in Itanagar and Pasighat will be held in December. 

In a recent notification, the commission directed officials to begin preparations for the poll process and ensure the reservation of seats for women in zilla parishads, gram panchayats, and municipal bodies.

The APSEC has instructed officials to issue the official poll notifications by October 30. As part of the process, draws of lots to determine seats reserved for women in the upcoming panchayat elections will be conducted in Changlang, Itanagar, Keyi Panyor, and Kurung Kumey districts. The draws in Changlang, Itanagar, and Kurung Kumey are scheduled for October 28, while Keyi Panyor will hold its draw on October 29.

In Itanagar, the draw for reservation of seats in the civic body will be conducted at the DK State Convention Centre at 11 am on October 28. The exercise will be carried out under Section 15(2) of the Arunachal Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act, 2019, which mandates the reservation of one-third of seats for women belonging to the Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe. Officials said MLAs from Itanagar and Doimukh constituencies, the mayor and deputy mayor, corporators of all 20 wards, and representatives of major political parties will attend the meeting.

In Keyi Panyor, the draw will be held on October 29 at the deputy commissioner’s conference hall in Yachuli. In Kurung Kumey, the draw covering Lower and Upper Koloriang Zilla Parishad constituencies will take place at the DC’s conference hall in Koloriang.

District Election Officers, including Shweta Nagarkoti Mehta, confirmed that public representatives, officials, political party members, women’s organisations, and accredited media have been invited to witness the process. All Block Development Officers (BDOs) have been directed to widely disseminate information and ensure the participation of panchayat representatives.

The APSEC emphasized that the exercise is time-bound, with reports to be submitted the same day to enable the issuance of official notifications by October 30. Security personnel will be deployed at all venues, and political parties, Zilla Parishad members, Gram Panchayat members, and Gram Panchayat Chairpersons have been asked to participate in the process.