People With More Than Two Kids Cannot Contest Panchayat Polls In Uttarakhand

The Uttarakhand Assembly on Wednesday passed a bill barring people having more than two children from contesting the panchayat elections, and also making minimum educational qualifications mandatory for rural poll candidates.

Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat. PTI image

DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand Assembly on Wednesday passed a bill barring people having more than two children from contesting the panchayat elections, and also making minimum educational qualifications mandatory for rural poll candidates. The Uttarakhand Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2019, was tabled in the Assembly on Tuesday and a discussion on it was to be held on Wednesday. But that could not be done as the opposition disrupted the proceedings. The bill was passed unanimously by voice vote amid the continuing bedlam in the House by the Opposition insisting on a debate on a video purportedly showing "some people close to the chief minister negotiating a monetary deal". The bill is expected to get the Governor's approval before the panchayat elections. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Madan Kaushik said the purpose of the bill was to promote family planning and also determine a minimum educational qualification for the candidates. "We have fixed the educational qualification of all panchayat members. In the general category, the minimum qualification is Class 10. In the SC/ST categories, the minimum qualification is Class 8 for men and Class 5 for women," he said. The bill also prohibits holding of two offices simultaneously by any panchayat member. "This is a reformist bill. It should be seen as an effort to reform the grassroots bodies," said Kaushik, adding that the bill was mooted on the lines of a similar legislation in states like Odisha and Rajasthan. Panchayat polls in Uttarakhand are due later this year. (With inputs from IANS)