BHUBANESWAR: The State Cabinet on Wednesday approved the proposal of Panchayati Raj department for necessary amendments in the laws regulating elections to rural local bodies (RLBs) and urban local bodies (ULBs), to provide 27 percent reservation to other backward classes (OBCs).
The Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is stated to have given approval to proposed changes in relevant provisions of Odisha Gram Panchayat Election Rules, Odisha Panchayat Samiti Elections Rules, Odisha Zilla Parishad Election Rules and Odisha Municipal Act to accommodate 27 per cent of OBCs in the rural and urban local bodies.
The ruling BJD had recently announced that it will give at least 27 per cent tickets to OBCs in the three-tier panchayat polls scheduled to be held in the first quarter of next year.Recently, Panchayati Raj Minister Pratap Jena had hinted that the government is likely to bring a Bill in the monsoon session of the Assembly to amend the relevant provisions of panchayat laws for reservation of seats.
Though the ceiling fixed by Supreme Court relates to a case dealing with urban local bodies (ULBs), the government is likely to bring the Bill in the House to conform to upper limit of 50 per cent reservation. The State Cabinet is stated to have given its assent to five proposals. Since the monsoon session of the Assembly has started, the decision taken by the government will be announced in the House.