Exploding the myth that poor rural households in Haryana cannot afford a toilet in their homes and will get excluded from contesting Panchayat polls upon such a criteria being introduced for poll candidates, the Haryana Government on Thursday told Supreme Court that nearly 90 per cent of the below poverty line (BPl) families in the State have a toilet at home.
With the local body elections being stayed by the Supreme Court, which is hearing a set of PIls challenging the eligibility criteria introduced for Panch, Sarpanch and members of Zila Parishads and Samitis, the State produced documents to show that the criteria for candidates to have a toilet at home was not “excessive” or “arbitrary” as 84 per cent of Haryana households have an attached toilet.
Giving the breakup, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi said, “Out of 8.5 lakh BPl families, nearly 7.21 lakh households have a toilet.” This was made possible also by a financial incentive provided under a Central scheme offering Rs12,000 for constructing toilet. The statistics defied the contention of the petitioners that the eligibility fixed by the State would exclude poor individuals from contesting.
On the other criteria fixed by State requiring candidates to be matriculate or Class VIII pass (for women and SC candidates) or Class V pass (for SC women candidates), A-G argued that on analysis of nominations filed for the posts till the date the election process was stayed, 75 per cent candidates met the eligibility as laid by State through the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act.