Bhubaneswar: Over fifty panchayat samiti chairpersons today met with Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik with at his residence, who expressed their concerns over the state government’s decision to curtail the administrative and financial powers of the elected representatives of the panchayats.
The BJD chief condemned the government’s move, calling it undemocratic, and assured the delegation that the party would continue to fight for the constitutional rights of the panchayat representatives. The matter is currently pending before the High Court, and Naveen Patnaik announced that the BJD would consider moving to the Supreme Court if necessary.
The meeting was attended by senior BJD leaders, including MLA Sarada Jena, former minister Pratap Jena, and former MLAs Uma Samantray and Prashant Muduli. The panchayat samiti chairpersons appreciated Naveen Patnaik’s support and vowed to continue their fight for the rights of the elected representatives.
