The Haryana Government’s plan to set minimum qualification for candidates contesting panchayat elections got a severe jolt, when the Supreme Court stayed the related amendments in the law. The orders of the Supreme Court seem to
have brought the entire election process to a standstill in the State.
The orders came on a petition filed by All India Democratic Women's Association. In its petition, the association has said the law violated a candidate's right to contest elections.
Though the State Election Commission refused to respond on the new developments, yet the orders of the Supreme Court are bound to affect the ongoing process as the Supreme Court has given the Haryana Government four weeks time to respond on the matter and the polls process of the first two phases is due before the next date of hearing.
Panchayat polls in Haryana are scheduled to be held in three phases on October 4, 11 and 18 this year. More than 1.10 crore voters are expected to vote in Panchayat polls. More than 72,000 posts of Panchayat Members, Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishads are to be contested in the polls.
State Election Commission has declared the schedule for the Panchayat polls on September 8 and the Code of Conduct was imposed immediately in the rural areas of the State.
Haryana Vidhan Sabha on September 7, had passed the Haryana Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2015. With the passage of the Bill, Class X pass was fixed to be minimum qualification for general category candidates to contest Panchayat Election but for Women and Schedule Castes the minimum qualification was Class VIII pass. Women in SC category may contest with a qualification of Class V.
Other conditions imposed by the Bill are that candidate should not have a criminal charge sheet against him in which he may be sentenced for 10 years. No pendency of electricity bills or loan payments and a working toilet are the other terms imposed with the new bill.
Reacting to the new development, Agriculture and Panchayat Minister, Om Parkash Dhankar said that they are yet to receive official information about the Supreme Court order but if the media reports are true, then Haryana government would try to seek a preponement of the next date of hearing so that the government may present its position in the court.
The Government at present seems to be left with two options. Tt may go to polls without imposing the new amendments or it may postpone the elections till it gets a clear go ahead from the Apex Court.