Bhubaneswar: In an aim to provide reservation upto 27 per cent to the OBC people in next Panchayati Raj and Urban elections, the State Government has taken steps to amend five Panchayati Raj and Municipal laws.
Minister Pratap Jena, who is in-charge of both departments, has introduced the Odisha Municipal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 in the House this evening. The Odisha Panchayat Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 is likely to be tabled on Tuesday. These two Bills will make necessary provisions in the existing five laws.
The minister has tabled the Odisha Municipal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 to make suitable provisions in the Orissa Municipal Act-1950 and Orissa Municipal Corporation Act-2003 for reservation of the seats for SC, ST, women, and OBC with a ceiling of 50 per cent, as per Supreme Court order.
Odisha Panchayat Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 will be tabled to amend three Panchayat laws—the Orissa Grama Panchayat Act-1964, the Orissa Panchayat Samiti Act-1959 and the Orissa Zilla Parishad Act-1991 for making similar provisions.
The amendment is necessary for reservation of seats for SC, ST and OBC in the upcoming Panchayati Raj election and ULB polls, which is due for over 2 years.