Haryana to make basic edu, toilets must for panchayat poll candidates

The Manohar Lal Khattar-led government on Tuesday decided to amend the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act, making it mandatory for panchayat poll candidates to have education <g data-gr-id="15">upto</g> class X and functional toilets at their homes. As per the amendments approved by the Chief Minister during a state cabinet meeting here, candidates who have criminal charges against them or those who have defaulted repaying cooperative loans will also be debarred from contesting panchayat elections.

According to an official release, the first amendment provides that minimum academic qualification for all levels of the elected representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) will be class X.

“However, as a step towards affirmative action for ensuring that women and scheduled castes voters are not placed in a disadvantageous situation, the minimum qualification for education for them to be considered suitable for candidacy of membership of the PRIs will be class VIII pass. 

“This amendment will enable elected representatives of PRIs to be more accountable, as they would no longer be able to take <g data-gr-id="17">excuse</g> of illiteracy,” it said. “Another reason for prescribing minimum educational qualification is that even after the introduction of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, illiteracy is a common excuse by the elected representatives for poor functioning of the Gram Panchayats, Panchayat Samities and Zila Parishads.