To elect the Chairpersons of the Gram Panchayat Members (GPM) and the Zilla Parishad Members (ZPM), the deputy commissioners were directed by the state government calling on Rule 67 of the Arunachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj (Conduct of Election) Rules, 2001, to hold the first meeting on January 15.

“The date for the first meeting should be across the state, so as to maintain uniformity in the five-year term of all GPMs and ZPMs”, stated the Chief Secretary in a notification.

Arunachal has a total of 8,216 GPMs and 242 ZPMs. Over 14 districts, 114 Gram Panchayat Constituencies (GPC) have remained vacant. With 40 seats, Changlang is at top with vacant tables, including one ZPM seat, and Lower Subansiri has 35 vacant GPCs out of 710 GPCs.

Polling for the Hawai North ZPC in Anjaw district and one ZPC in Vijaynagar in Changlang district is scheduled on January 11, informed State Election Commission (SEC) on Wednesday.