Guwahati: Villagers from the Garajan Development Block in Assam’s Nagaon district staged a protest at the local block office on May 30. The group gathered to demand administrative action against the spouses of elected panchayat representatives, who they claim are actively interfering with local government operations.
The demonstrators submitted a memorandum to the Block Development Officer, asserting that husbands of female representatives are exerting influence over government development schemes. They specifically identified Nurul Amin Choudhury, husband of the Rupohi-Roumari Gaon Panchayat president, as an individual frequently involved in official duties despite having no elected status.
Protesters argued that this trend undermines existing state government directives, which explicitly discourage spouses from participating in official meetings or administrative tasks. They contended that these rules are currently failing to stop unelected individuals from bypassing democratic processes.
According to the residents, this interference threatens the integrity of local self-governance and hampers the true empowerment of women elected to these positions. They urged district officials to intervene to ensure representatives carry out their duties independently.
Responding to the accusations, Choudhury dismissed the claims as unfounded and denied any wrongdoing regarding his involvement in panchayat affairs.
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