Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla on Saturday expressed strong reservations over the state government’s decision to bar individuals allegedly involved in chitta (synthetic drug) peddling from contesting the upcoming Gram Panchayat elections, stating that such a move could invite judicial scrutiny. Interacting with the media after attending the ‘At Home’ function organised by the Army on the occasion of Indian Army Day in Shimla, the Governor questioned the legal basis of the decision. “I do not understand whether this is the right decision. Courts are the competent authorities to decide who is eligible to contest Gram Panchayat elections. Such decisions by the state government invite intervention by the courts,” he said. “During my efforts to curb the drug menace in the state, I invited representatives of Gram Panchayats to the Lok Bhavan (Governor House). The representatives conveyed that they decided to excommunicate all those people found involved in drug peddling in their respective Gram Panchayats. Let Gram Panchayats decide these issues on their own level,” Shukla added. The state government had recently announced its …