Officers at helm of rural bodies

TT, Calcutta: The Bengal government issued an order on Tuesday asking the district magistrates, sub-divisional officers and block development officers to take over zilla parishads, panchayat samitis and gram panchayats where new boards could not be formed because of a case pending in the Supreme Court.

"The officers will be responsible for all official documents and they will run day-to-day work in the rural bodies. They have been appointed till the new boards are formed or for a period of three months, whichever is earlier," said a senior official.

Sources said boards could not be formed in 1,609 gram panchayats, 406 panchayat samitis and 12 zilla parishads as some candidates have won uncontested in these bodies.

Such victories have been challenged in the Supreme Court, which concluded hearings on Monday.

"It is expected that the judgment will come soon. But the officers had to be appointed to take over the of the three-tier panchayat system as there will be nobody to look after the day-to-day activities after the five-year tenure of the (previous) elected body expires," said a senior official.