Latest news with #73rdAmendment
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
UP plans direct polls for zila panchayat chairman, block pramukh posts
The Uttar Pradesh government is preparing to overhaul the state's rural electoral system by introducing direct elections for zila panchayat chairman and block pramukhs from 2026, replacing the current indirect voting method. A formal proposal for the constitutional amendment required is set to be sent to the Centre soon. Panchayati Raj minister Om Prakash Rajbhar, who is also the chief of Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP), an ally of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), said the move is being planned for the upcoming three-tier panchayat elections expected in May 2026. 'The proposal for direct elections will soon be submitted to the central government. It has been discussed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and chief minister Yogi Adityanath, and all have given their approval,' Rajbhar said. Currently, zila panchayat chairman and block pramukhs are elected indirectly. Voters elect zila panchayat and block development committee (BDC) members, who in turn elect the chairman and pramukhs. The state has 75 zila panchayats and 825 blocks, according to Rajbhar. The present system has repeatedly drawn criticism for being vulnerable to manipulation. 'There have been instances where candidates kidnapped members to secure votes or used pressure to block rival nominations,' he claimed. Notably, the 2021 panchayat elections were marred by allegations of forceful prevention of nominations and violence. Out of the 75 zila panchayat chairmen elected, 22 won unopposed. BJP secured 21 seats, while the Samajwadi Party won just one. Rajbhar said that indirect elections create opportunities for defection and weaken grassroots governance. 'Those elected are often loyal to whoever is in power, not to their party's ideology or the people. This hampers development,' he said. When asked why the NDA is pushing for direct elections despite having firm control over the existing three-tier panchayati raj system in Uttar Pradesh, gram panchayats at the village level, kshetra panchayats at the block level, and zila panchayats at the district level, Rajbhar said the indirect system has been a hurdle in grassroots development. 'Majority of the candidates win with the backing of money and muscle power. They shift loyalties with changing governments. This weakens both governance and political commitment,' he said, adding that direct elections would enhance public accountability. For the changes to be implemented, a constitutional amendment will be required. Rajbhar noted that panchayat elections fall under Article 243 of the Constitution, which was introduced through the 73rd Amendment and gives a constitutional framework to rural governance. 'The amendment is necessary to allow for direct public elections to these posts. The Panchayati Raj department is finalising the draft proposal,' he said. Citing urban elections as a precedent, Rajbhar said that Mayors in cities are directly elected by the people, and a similar system is needed in rural governance. 'There is no reason why zila panchayat chairman and block pramukhs should not be directly accountable to the voters,' he said. Political observers and opposition leaders have raised concerns over the move. Chaturanan Ojha, a political analyst, said the proposal may lead to an imbalance of power in rural areas. 'If these posts are directly elected, the chairman and pramukhs could become more powerful than MLAs and MPs in their jurisdiction. The current system offers a mechanism for checks and balances through no-confidence motions,' he said. He also cautioned that the constitutional amendment process would require the approval of at least half the states, making it a complex legislative task. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party leader Rajendra Chaudhary alleged that the BJP government is attempting to control local bodies through administrative means. 'This is not about reforms but about capturing zila panchayats. The government should focus on strengthening panchayats rather than creating confusion,' he said.
The Hindu
15-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Siddaramaiah tells officials to place recommendations of district and taluk planning bodies in pre-Budget meetings
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday told the Karnataka State Policy and Planning Commission and the Karnataka State Decentralised Planning and Development Committee to place the recommendations of the taluk- and district-level planning committees in the pre-Budget meetings. The Chief Minister chaired a meeting of the two bodies and said taluk- and district-level planning committees need to be strengthened to further empower the Panchayat Raj system and to formulate schemes as per the requirements of people. Elections not held The District Planning Committees (DCP) and Taluk Planning Committees (TPC) have apparently become ineffective as elections have not been held for zilla and taluk panchayats. Currently, the district in-charge Ministers chair the meeting of these committees. Mr. Siddaramaiah said he had announced in the State Budget for 2023-24 that responsibility mapping had to be done regarding the functioning of Panchayat Raj organisations as per the 73rd Amendment to the Constitution. Responsibility mapping Accordingly, the Rural Development Department has prepared a responsibility map for 13 departments, out of which the responsibility maps for the functioning of nine departments, including Health, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes Welfare, Backward Classes and Minority Welfare, Agriculture, Watershed Development, Horticulture, and Sericulture have been notified. However, responsibility mapping of Women and Child Welfare, Education, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries departments was not notified so far, he said. The Chief Minister directed officials to complete the responsibility mapping of all departments by this August 15. He instructed the officials to submit a proposal to the government regarding the Revenue and Panchayat Raj departments' decisions on re-surveying villages and fixing boundaries. He also instructed the officials to submit proposals for establishing a land bank to develop infrastructure for urban and rural local bodies. Noting that people's involvement was important in the decentralisation, he said public opinions should be respected. Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission B.R. Patil had been told to tour the State regularly to understand the ground situation, the Chief Minister said. Mr. Patil told officials to adopt a bottom-up approach while formulating plans and schemes for the benefit of the needy. Decentralisation needed Mr. Siddaramaiah said he was in favour of decentralisation, and rural local bodies need to be empowered. He instructed officials to ensure implementation of the reservation in urban and rural local bodies as per the provisions of the Panchayat Raj Act. Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge, chairman of the Fifth Finance Commission and former MP C. Narayanaswamy, Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, and senior officials attended the meeting.
The Hindu
28-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Need for devolution of more powers to rural and urban local bodies stressed
Eminent jurists and scholars underlined the need for devolution of more powers to rural and urban local bodies for elected representatives to discharge their duties within the constitutional framework. Speaking at Lawgical connect, a panel discussion on Concurrent List Constitutionalism, organised by the Sastra Deemed University Law School here, senior advocate C. S. Vaidyanathan said that amid turbulence in neighbouring countries, the Indian Constitution had stood the test of time. Detailing three major amendments to the Constitution, he said the 73rd Amendment, which sought to devolve more powers to local bodies was one that touched the common man the most. He spoke on the need for rationalising the cess and surcharges collected and utilise them to create better social infrastructure with more involvement of the urban and rural local bodies. Senior Advocate Arvind P. Datar said that the Constitution was like a joint family where the Centre was the kartha and the States the co-parceners. In the light of the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack, he said that it was important to remember that above everything else 'we must always think about a united India. We should set aside all differences and must think of working unitedly' . Speaking about the tax aspect in our federal structure, he said there was a growing sense that the Centre was getting more from cess and surcharges collected and that it was not being shared with the States. There should be devolution of finances from the Centre to states. He opined that the freebies being promised and given was worrisome. Arghya Sengupta, founder and scholar, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, said that while the Constitution dealt with a vast variety of subjects, it did not speak about some new subjects like AI and it needed to be reviewed. He said that a stronger articulation of the third tier in the Constitution was needed. It is critical for us to understand that it is in the interest of the people that State, union and panchayats serve, he added. Advocate and moderator Amrith Bhargav and Sastra Vice Chancellor were present on the occasion.
Hans India
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Ensure all beneficiaries get their due share, collector urges Panchayat Raj officials
Kurnool: District Collector F. Ranjith Basha called on Panchayati Raj officials to ensure every beneficiary receives their rightful share, stressing the importance of inclusive development during National Panchayati Raj Day celebrations at the Zilla Parishad office on Thursday. He underscored the significance of the Panchayati Raj system in rural development and decentralised governance. 'Before the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, there was no standardised or permanent administrative mechanism for local governance. Women's participation was as good as non-existent,' he said. Basha credited reforms based on the Balwantrai Mehta and Singvi Committees for shaping the 73rd Amendment, which empowered Panchayati Raj institutions through legal status, finance commission inclusion, regular elections, and reservations for SCs, STs, and women. He highlighted last year's successes, including achieving 100% targets under the Employment Guarantee Scheme and constructing 119 km of CC roads in three months with Rs. 50 crore. He also praised Peravali village's national recognition in the Governance Awards. Three mandals—Maddikera, Holagunda, and Chippagiri—were included in the Aspirational Blocks Programme, with Chippagiri ranking sixth regionally. Officials were urged to raise awareness about government schemes. Panchayati Raj SE Ramachandra Reddy, MPDO Gudur Sisu Nag Prasad, and other staff were felicitated for their contributions.
