NEW DELHI: A bill seeking to amend the Indian constitution to provide for a five year tenure for village level self-governing institutions (Panchayati Raj) and urban local bodies and holding of elections within six months in the event of their supersession was introduced in Parliament.
‘The vital bill, which was introduced by law minister Dinesh Goswami, also provides for direct elections to the urban local bodies and reservation of not less than one third of the seats for women.
It makes it mandatory that the reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in these bodies be made in proportion to their population.
The previous Congress (I) regime had brought last year two separate bills on Panchayati Raj and urban local bodies. These bills, which were passed by the then Lower House, fell through in the upper house for want of the requisite two third majority. According to the statement of objects and reasons of the constitution (74th) amendment bill, it is proposed to add a new part relating to the local authorities (Panchayati Raj institutions and urban local bodies) in the constitution.
It also seeks to have direct elections to all seats in Panchayats at the village level and to not less than SO per cent of the seats in Panchayats at other levels.
Constitution of urban local bodies such as Nagar Panchayats for transitional areas, municipal councils for smaller urban areas and municipal corporations for larger urban areas, have also been stipulated in the bill.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 14, 1990
