Punjab Introduces Panchayat Elections Without Party Symbols: Major Legislative Changes Announced

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced that the state will hold panchayat elections without political party symbols, aiming to curb groupism and foster rural development. Several significant Bills, including amendments in GST, fire services, and agricultural produce markets, were passed to enhance governance and socio-economic growth.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann declared on Wednesday that upcoming panchayat elections will be conducted without political party symbols, as the state Assembly passed a Bill supporting this move. Mann emphasized that this initiative would curtail 'groupism' in villages and contribute to holistic rural development.

Alongside this major reform, the Punjab Vidhan Sabha also passed the Punjab Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and three other crucial Bills: the Punjab Goods and Service Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2024, the Punjab Fire and Emergency Service Bill, 2024, and the Punjab Agricultural Produce Markets (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

Mann highlighted that the Punjab Fire and Emergency Service Bill would pioneer the recruitment of women in fire-fighting roles, addressing a long-ignored need for gender inclusion. On the economic front, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema presented amendments in the GST Bill aimed at improving tax compliance and offering relief to traders.

(With inputs from agencies.)