A proposal to amend the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act was passed by the Vidhan Sabha on Friday. Now, women will have a 50 percent share in the panchayat elections in the state.
Seats will be reserved for women and men on the basis of even-odd numbers. The village where a woman sarpanch will be elected, in the next election, the village will have a male sarpanch. On passing this bill, Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala congratulated the women of the state and said that this bill will infuse confidence and empower women in the state.
Giving information about the bill, Chautala said that this rule will be applicable in future elections to Panchayati Raj institutions, i.e. Zila Parishad, Block Panchayat Samiti and Gram Panchayats. He informed that each village would be given codes based on even-odd numbers. For the first time, the sarpanch will be a woman in every alternate election. In this manner, five out of every ten years, every village of Haryana will have a woman sarpanch. This rule will also be applicable to reserved posts and posts will be reserved on the basis of even-odd numbers in them too.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that this system will extend beyond the Gram Panchayats and will also be applicable in the Zila Parishad and Block Panchayat Samiti. The odd-even formula will also be adopted for the posts of District Council and Block Committee members and chairman.
After this significant change in the Panchayati Raj Act, 50 percent participation of women in the Panchayati Raj system of Haryana will be ensured. For this arrangement, separate seats will be considered for reserved seats for Scheduled Classes and for other seats and women reservations will be implemented in those groups.
JJP MLA Naina Chautala expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Manohar Lal and Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala, while calling it a big step towards women empowerment. She also thanked all the MLAs who rendered their support to pass the bill.
