Himachal Governor Questions Legal Validity of Barring Drug Accused from Panchayat Polls

Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla has expressed legal concerns over the state government's proposal to bar individuals accused of synthetic drug-related offenses from contesting panchayat elections. He emphasized that such restrictions without due process or conviction may not withstand judicial scrutiny and suggested that local Gram Panchayats should address these issues independently. The government aims to curb drug abuse, particularly of 'chitta', which has increased in the region, by tightening candidate eligibility for local polls.