Haryana Panchayat Bill
Context:
The term of the village panchayats in Haryana had ended in February, 2021. But, next elections are delayed due to multiple petitions filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court challenging some amendments made by the state government through the Haryana Panchayat Raj (Second Amendment) Act, 2020.
- The amendments in question are about reservation for backward castes and women in the panchayats.
What’s the issue?
- The petitions call the amendments “arbitrary, unreasonable, and illegal”.
- The petition says that as per the Haryana Panchyati Raj Act, 1994, if the population in the village is half of the scheduled castes, then 50 per cent seats in the panchayat area are required to be filled by the SCs and are specifically reserved for them.
Highlights of the Haryana Panchayati Raj (Second Amendment) Act, 2020:
- Provides the right to recall members of Panchayati Raj institutions to those who elected them.
- Gives women 50% reservation in these rural bodies.
- Provides 8% reservation to the “more disadvantaged” among the Backward Classes.
- Allows the recall of village sarpanches and members of the block-level panchayat samitis and district-level zila parishads if they fail to perform.
Procedure to be followed:
- To recall a sarpanch and members of the two bodies, 50% members of a ward or gram sabha have to give in writing that they want to initiate proceedings.
- This will be followed by a secret ballot, in which their recall will require two-third members voting against them.
The key mandatory provisions of the 73rd and 74th amendments, are:
- Regular direct elections to all local bodies.
- Setting up of state-level election commissions and finance commissions.
- Mandatory reservation of seats for Dalits and Adivasis in every local body, proportionate to their share in the population.
- 33% reservation for women.
- Setting up of District Planning Committees that consolidate plans of rural and urban bodies.
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