Preparations for the upcoming three-tier panchayat elections in Uttar Pradesh have officially begun, with the state government issuing an order on Friday to initiate a fresh delimitation of villages. The move comes in response to changes in administrative boundaries since the last panchayat elections, including the inclusion of several gram panchayats and revenue villages into urban areas.
Due to the creation and expansion of urban bodies such as Nagar Panchayats, Municipal Councils, and Municipal Corporations after the 2021 panchayat elections, many gram panchayats have been absorbed into city limits. This has resulted in several villages having populations of less than 1,000, making them ineligible to function as independent panchayats.
The government has asked all districts to submit proposals for partial restructuring of gram panchayats and revenue villages by June 5. According to the Uttar Pradesh Panchayat Raj Act, the state can declare any village or group of villages with a minimum population of 1,000 as a panchayat area.
The new order states that if a gram panchayat now includes only one revenue village — after others have merged into urban areas — and it does not meet the population criteria, it should be merged with the nearest eligible gram panchayat. The earlier notifications on village boundaries will also be revised accordingly to reflect the current demographics and administrative structures.
