Shimla, Oct. 14 -- Ahead of next year Assembly elections, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has set-up a commission headed by retired High court judge Justice Dharam Chand Chaudhry for reorganisation of administrative units including new districts, subdivisions, blocks and tehsils.
The move to carve out new districts in the state, which will be especially prompt bifurcation of key districts like Kangra, Shimla and even Mandi could be a critical issue of administrative governance at the time when elections are just an year away. Sources said the state cabinet has already cleared the move and notification to appoint the Chairman and its members was issued on Wednesday.
The commission has not been given any timeline for submission of the report.
The issue about the creation of new districts had remained buried under the carpet during the earlier regimes of the Congress and even the BJP.
Former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar had openly opposed the demand for new districts that could eventually hit state's biggest district i.e. Kangra has 15 Assembly constituencies and holds the key to the state's power for any political party, after five years.
Himachal has a total of 12 districts. There has been frequent demand for making Nurpur and Dehra, now represented by Kamlesh Thakur, CM's wife, while residents of Palampur have also been demanding districts. All fall in Kangra.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.