Panch-Sarpanch are valid voters of MLC elections, Central Government removed the confusion.
State Bureau, Patna. The Central Government has put an end to the long standing confusion regarding the Gram Kachari Panch-Sarpanch Legislative Council Local Authority (MLC) elections. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has clarified through its letter that Panch and Sarpanch are valid voters of Legislative Council (Local Body Constituency) elections in Bihar. They have the constitutional right to vote.
Actually, State President of Panch Sarpanch Sangh, Amod Kumar Nirala had written a letter to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj of the Central Government. In response to Nirala's letter, the Central Government has clarified that under the provisions of Article 171 (3) (A) of the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act, 1950, Gram Panchayats come under the category of local bodies.
In such a situation, the elected representatives of Gram Panchayat, Panch and Sarpanch are eligible to vote in MLC elections. There is no need for any new law or amendment for this. Despite this, at present the names of Panchs and Sarpanches are not registered in the MLC voter list of any district of the state.
It has become clear from the Central Government's letter regarding this that this situation is not due to any legal hurdle but is the result of administrative level lapse.
On this issue, State President of Bihar State Panch Sarpanch Association, Amod Kumar Nirala has written a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer, Bihar, Chief Secretary and Secretary Panchayati Raj Department, demanding to include the names of Panch and Sarpanches in the MLC voter list without any delay.
On the other hand, various public representative associations and organizations of the state including Mukhiya Mahasangh co-convenor, Three-tier Panchayat Representative Association Bihar President Mithilesh Kumar Rai have also supported it. Expressing gratitude for the long struggle of Amod Kumar Nirala, all the organizations have appealed to the state government to take immediate action.
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