E-Paper
Draft ordinance to give quota to BC sub-category in panchayat polls cleared
The Haryana Cabinet on Wednesday accepted recommendations of the Haryana Backward Classes Commission (HBCC) for quota to the Backward Classes (A) category in the panchayat polls.
: The Haryana Cabinet on Thursday approved a draft ordinance to give reservation to a sub-category in the Backward Classes in the upcoming elections of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).
The Cabinet on Wednesday accepted recommendations of the Haryana Backward Classes Commission (HBCC) for quota to the Backward Classes (A) category in the polls.
In a meeting on Thursday, it approved the ordinance to amend Sections 9, 59 and 120 of the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act-1994 and bring the BC (A) population legally under the ambit of reservation in the PRI polls, which the State Election Commission (SEC) is likely to announce shortly.
The much-delayed panchayat polls have picked up momentum after the HBCC submitted its report on Tuesday to chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
As the assembly is not in session, the BJP-JJP coalition government in the state has decided to opt the ordinance route. The ordinance will be issued by the governor based on the advice of the state Cabinet to make it a law.
Speaking to reporters, chief minister Khattar said Haryana cabinet approved the HBCC report and amended the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 by bringing in the Haryana Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Ordinance, 2022.
“After the ordinance is approved by the governor, the process related to reservation will be completed in the next few days,” the CM said, adding the elections of PRIs will be conducted soon.
“After this, a letter will be written to the State Election Commission to conduct the elections,” he added.
It is for the first time that reservation will be given to the BC (A) in the PRIs polls as per the set criterion. The seats of panch in gram panchayats, and members in panchayat samitis and zila parishads will be reserved as per the criteria and the reservation will not exceed 50 per cent aggregate of the total seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and BC (A) taken together in a particular PRI.
Now, even if there is 2% BC (A) population in a village, at least 1 panchayat member will be elected from the BC (A), said Khattar.
At least one seat of panch will be reserved for the BC (A) if their population is 2% or more of the total population of the gram sabha area. Such seats will be allotted by rotation and by draw of lots among the wards other than that reserved for the Scheduled Castes.
The offices of member will be reserved for BC (A) in every panchayat samiti in proportion of one-half of the percentage of their population to the total population of the Panchayat Samiti.
For the purpose of reservation for the BC (A), the total population and the population of BC (A) will be drawn from the family data repository established under the provisions of The Haryana Parivar Pehchan Act, 2021.
Amendment in HPSC approved
Haryana Cabinet accorded ex-post approval for amendment in Haryana Public Service Commission (Limitation of Functions) Regulations, 1973. Now, HPSC will conduct the recruitment of Post Graduate (PG) teacher Group-B, instead of the Haryana Staff Selection Commission, since the recruitment process for all other Group-B posts is being conducted by the HPSC.
Cabinet okays cash credit limit of HSIIDC
Haryana Cabinet gave nod to sanction ₹500 crore cash credit/working capital limit of Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (HSIIDC) for acquisition of land and to make payment of enhanced compensation to the ex-land owners.
