After making amendments in Haryana Panchayati Raj Act 1994, Haryana Government is reviewing two more Acts for amendments.
Haryana Statute Review Committee, constituted by the State Government has selected Punjab Village Common lands (Regulation) Act 1961 and Haryana Agricultural Produce Markets Act 1961 for review and making amendments. The Committee had also selected Haryana Panchayati Raj Act 1994, which was recently amended by the State Government.
A five-member Haryana Statute Review Committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Justice (retd) Iqbal Singh in July this year for identifying such state laws which are not in harmony with the existing climate of economic liberalization and need change.
The Committee was asked to identify laws which otherwise require changes or amendments and to make suggestions for their amendment and further to consider in a wide perspective the suggestions for review/amendments and for giving its recommendations to the State Government.
After receiving the recommendations of the Review Committee, the State Government has now written to the Haryana Development and Panchayat Department seeking comments for reviewing the two Acts namely ‘Punjab Village Common lands (Regulation) Act 1961’ and ‘Haryana Agricultural Produce Markets Act 1961’. The Department has been asked to send its comments on the Acts within 15 days.
While Haryana Agricultural Produce Markets Act 1961 is relating to the better regulation of the purchase, sale, storage and processing of agricultural produce and the establishment of markets for agricultural produce in the State, Punjab Village Common lands (Regulation) Act 1961 regulates the rights in shamilat deh and abadi deh.
The Chief Minister Manohar lal had earlier said that the State Government would amend the state Acts of general importance so as to simplify them and to remove any anomalies, ambiguities and inequities.
Notably, despite of strong opposition and walkouts from the opposition parties, Haryana Government had passed the Panchayat Raj Bill, 2015 in the state assembly during monsoon session.
The amendments made in Haryana Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 were aimed at improving the quality of leadership and governance in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). The amendments made mandatory for the candidates in Panchayat elections to have basic educational qualification, no grave criminal offence, a functional toilet at home and clearance of outstanding dues of electricity bills.
As per the amendments, the minimum academic qualification for all levels of the elected representatives of PRIs(Panchayati Raj Institutions) is class X. However, for the women and Scheduled Castes candidates, the minimum educational qualification is now class VIII.
Another amendment provided that persons against whom charges have been framed by the competent court for grave criminal offences punishable not less than 10 years imprisonment will not be allowed to contest the elections till they are acquitted by the court.
However, later the panchayat elections in Haryana were put on hold as Supreme Court had stayed the changes made in the Act.