Shimla, April 2 -- Amid Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) accusation of deliberately delaying panchayat elections, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday announced that panchayat elections will be conducted by May 31 while accusing the BJP of creating "unnecessary ruckus".

Defending the government's handling of panchayat elections, Sukhu said the schedule was aligned with judicial directives and administrative convenience. "We wanted elections in May, in line with the Supreme Court's direction, to ensure that school examinations are not disrupted as teachers are deployed for election duties," he said.

Addressing the controversy over the provision allowing up to 5% changes in the reservation roster by deputy commissioners, the c...