Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria has approved the Punjab Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill 2024. After giving the green signal to the bill, the old practice of reservation in panchayat elections has been restored. At the same time, with the approval of the amendment bill, the process of panchayat elections will be accelerated.
It was passed in the monsoon session
Let us tell you that after this amendment, no candidate can contest elections on party symbol. The new Governor Gulab Chand Kataria giving green signal to this bill is also a sign of good relations between the Raj Bhavan and the state government. The Punjab Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill 2024 was passed in the monsoon session of the Punjab Legislative Assembly.
Cannot contest elections on party symbol
Apart from this, the House also amended the 'Punjab Panchayati Rules, 1994'. After this amendment, no candidate will be able to contest elections on party symbol. With the approval of the amendment bill, the process of panchayat elections will now be accelerated. The Punjab government is in the mood to conduct panchayat elections in mid-October.
With the amendment in Section 12 (4) of the 'Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994', now a new roster of reservation will be prepared for the reservation of Sarpanches by considering the block as a unit, whereas earlier the district was considered as a unit.
With the change in the reservation pattern, a new roster of reservation will be prepared. With the new amendment, the present government has kept the opportunity in its hands to make the reservation of Sarpanches as per its wish. The old roster of reservation has now ended automatically.