Lok Sabha Question No. 1477 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-20
Subject: Corruption and Horse Trading in Panchayat Elections
Ministry: PANCHAYATI RAJ
Asked by: Rajveer Diler

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-†1477 ANSWERED ON-20.09.2020

## CORRUPTION AND HORSE TRADING IN PANCHAYAT ELECTIONS

## †1477. SHRI RAJVEER DILER:

Will the Minister of PANCHAYATI RAJ be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the steps being taken by the Government to eliminate financial corruption and horse trading in regional Panchayat elections;
- (b)  whether  any  proposal  or  request  has  been  received  from  the  State  Government  of  Uttar Pradesh regarding the election of Panchayat Head and District Panchayat Chairperson by the public; and
- (c) if so, the action being taken thereon?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF PANCHAYATI RAJ (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) 'Panchayat', being 'Local government', is a State subject and part of State list of Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. Article 243B, Part IX of the Constitution provides for the constitution of Panchayats in every state at different levels. Accordingly, the Panchayats function in  accordance with the respective State Panchayati Raj Act. Article 243 K of the Constitution provides that the superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of electoral rolls for, and the conduct of, all elections to the Panchayats shall be vested in a State Election Commission consisting of a State Election Commissioner. Further, subject to the provisions of the Constitution, the legislature of a state may, by law, make provision with respect to all matters relating to, or in connection with, elections to the Panchayats.

(b)  & (c) Yes, Sir. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has received proposal dated 10th October 2019 from the State Government of Uttar Pradesh regarding holding elections through direct voting by the general public for Block Pramukh and Zila Panchayat Adhyaksh. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj requested all the State/Union Territory Governments for their views and comments on the topic. The views of States/ Union Territories received are given at Annexure .

Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  to  part  (b)  &(c)  of  the  Lok  Sabha  Unstarred  Question  No. †1477answered on 20.09.2020.

|   S. No. | State/ Union Territory   | Views of States/Union Territories with respect to elections of Chairperson of Panchayat at intermediate &district level   |
|----------|--------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Andaman &Nicobar Islands | Direct elections are needed                                                                                               |
|        2 | Assam                    | Direct elections are needed                                                                                               |
|        3 | Bihar                    | Indirect elections are fine                                                                                               |
|        4 | Chhattisgarh             | Indirect elections are fine                                                                                               |
|        5 | Gujarat                  | Indirect elections are fine                                                                                               |
|        6 | Himachal Pradesh         | Indirect elections are fine                                                                                               |
|        7 | Karnataka                | Indirect elections are fine                                                                                               |
|        8 | Punjab                   | Indirect elections are fine                                                                                               |
|        9 | Sikkim                   | Direct elections are needed                                                                                               |
|       10 | Uttarakhand              | Direct elections are needed                                                                                               |
|       11 | Uttar Pradesh            | Direct elections are needed                                                                                               |
|       12 | West Bengal              | Indirect elections are fine                                                                                               |

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