Maharashtra on Monday became the third State in the country to opt for “direct election” to the post of village sarpanchs. Following the suit of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, the Maharashtra Cabinet decided to amend the relevant provisions of the Maharashtra Gram Panchayat Act, 1958 to facilitate the “direct election” of Sarpanchs from among the voters in villages across the State.
In a statement issued after the State Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that his Government had appointed a two-member team to study the legal provisions and the “direct election” system prevailing in MP and Gujarat. “Based on the recommendations of the team, we have also decide to go in for a direct election to the post of village sarpanchs,” Fadnavis said.
Official sources said that the State Government would bring in a Bill to amend the provisions of the Maharashtra Gram Panchayat Act, 1958 in the forthcoming monsoon session of the State legislature.
The “direct election” to the posts of sarpanchs and panchyat presidents will be held through secret ballot. The minimum educational qualification for the persons contenting the posts of village sarpanchs and Panchyat president is that he or she should have passed seventh standard. The minimum educational qualification provision applies to those who were born on or after January 1, 1995.
The sarpanchs will have a term of five years. The proposed legislation will bar elected members from bringing a no-confidence motion against elected sarpanchs and Up-sarpanchs up to two years of their terms or six months before the completion of the elected tenure.
Similarly, if no fresh no-confidence motions are allowed within two years after the rejection of a no-trust vote brought against the same elected Sarpanchs and Up-sarpanchs.
As part of the new system, the panchyats will be asked set up village development under the chairmanships of the Sarpanchs concerned.