A day after the Haryana Cabinet fixed some criteria and prescribed qualification to contest the Urban local Bodies polls, Haryana Urban local Bodies Minister, Kavita Jain said that the decision is another step taken by the Haryana Government to improve the political scenario.

Jain said that as per the amendment, such persons against whom charges have been framed by the competent court for grave criminal offences punishable by not less than 10 years imprisonment will be debarred from contesting the elections till they are acquitted by the Courts. "This would help ensure clean politics at the grassroots level," she said in a statement issued here on Wednesday.

Similarly, defaulters of cooperative loans and defaulters of arrears of electricity bills will also be debarred from contesting elections.

The Minister said that by clearing their dues on time, the elected representatives would not only set an example for the people but also encourage them to pay their outstanding bills on time, which would prove to be a boon for the cooperatives and power DISCOMs.

Apart from this, educational qualifications have been prescribed for representatives of all levels of Urban local Bodies. "Most of the elected members of Urban local Bodies are dependent on the government functionaries or their relatives or friends, who may take advantage of their poor capabilities and capacities. Therefore, qualification has been prescribed as matriculation pass for all levels of the elected representatives of the Urban local Bodies," the minister said. Jain said this amendment will enable elected representations of Urban local Bodies to be more accountable, as no one would be able to take advantage of them on account of illiteracy.

The Minister said that non-provision of a functional toilet at the residence of a candidate will be grounds for disqualification for contesting elections of Urban local Bodies.

Provision of appropriate sanitation arrangements in the residential areas of urban population is the main requirement of the time and in this scenario the provision of functional toilets in each and every house is a must.