Panchayat Elections in State a farce

The state government has turned the Panchayat elections into a non starter as it is haunted by the fear of defeat

No elections now, or postponement till June
The state government cannot go in for the elections based on the 2001  population census. The census figures of 2011 are about to be published in which there is an increase in the reservations for SC/ST and BC sections. If the government uses the census figures of 2001, it will have to face many legal hurdles
The government is exhibiting sheer bravado in saying it would conduct the Panchayat Elections, but the fear of defeat that happened in the by-elections is haunting it.
If the election notification does not come now, the government has to take the census figures of 2011 as the basis. It will have to start the election process all over again, from the beginning, which will take at least three months to be completed.
If the government takes the census figures of 2001 as the basis, there is every possibility that the matter will go to the court, that injustice is being done to the SC/ST and BC candidates. Meanwhile there is a rumour that General Elections are likely to be held in October or November. If it is true then, the State government can safely give up the idea of holding Panchayat elections

The attitude of the government is quite dubious from the beginning
The government has declared that it is ready to hold the elections and also gave directions that the reservation list be ready. However, the government has not fixed any date for the same. The notification to the Panchayat elections cannot be released unless the reservation list is approved by the government.
The department of Panchayat Raj is said to have finalized the reservation list on Friday and it will be handed over to the Panchayat Raj Commissioner on Monday.  By the end of April, the department will finalisze the list of about 21,594 Village Panchayat  Sarpanches  and Ward reservations. It will take the commissioner at least 20 days to set into motion the election machinery. Meanwhile, if the census figures of 2011 are released then the whole process has to start from the beginning which will take at least three months. The officials are worried that if the Panchayat Elections are not held in time the Centre will stop releasing the funds.

The  State Election Commission is gearing up to hold the Panchayat elections
The District Collectors, and SPs are holding meetings at the local level. The State Election Commissioner, P. Ramakantha Reddy is going to meet them, to hold discussions. He said that whatever has to be done by the Election commission is being done by them and they are ready to hold the elections as soon as the reservation list is handed over to them

The census figures of 2011
There is a talk that the census figures of 2011 will be released either on April 17 or may be one or two days later. The Central Census department had submitted to the Supreme Court an affidavit that they will notify the census figures by the third week of April.
According to the census figures of 2001 the reservations for SC is 18.30 and for ST 8.25. But this percentage may go up according to the increase in the population figures for SC and ST during the past ten years. Hence conducting the elections according to the census figures of 2011 will of great benefit to them.
The government had already given an assurance to the Supreme Court that it will conduct the Municipal Elections based on the census figure of 2011.
Will it hold the Panchayat Elections according to the census figures of 2001? That is a million dollar question! 
-Sakshipost