LUCKNOW: The government on Thursday issued its reservation policy for the upcoming panchayat elections, stating that those seats which were reserved in 2015 will not be reserved this year.
As per the formula used by the government, only 27 out of the 75 seats for zila panchayat president will be unreserved, with 16 reserved for SC, 20 for backward classes and 12 for women.
On Tuesday, the cabinet had passed a proposal according to which the old system of rotation of seats for reservation would be followed even with delimitation seats. The previous SP government had changed this rule with delimitation seats, breaking the ongoing chain of rotation at the time of delimitation and starting the process afresh.
Additional chief secretary (Panchayati Raj) Manoj Kumar Singh said that along with implementation of rotational reservation, the government would take into account the reservation of seats from 1995 to 2015 before deciding the reservation and allocation of reserved seats. So far, 826 blocks and 58,194 gram panchayats have been constituted in the state.
“Reservation will be done keeping in mind the order of SC, OBC and women reservation in previous elections. Those seats which have never been reserved will be given preference this time. Those seats which were reserved for SC or SC women will either not be reserved at all this year or reserved for OBCs. Seats which have never been reserved for OBCS, women or SCs could be reserved this year,” he said.
As an example, Singh said, there are two district panchayats in the state which have never been reserved for OBC or SC. Similarly, there are seven district panchayats which have never been reserved for women. These seats were likely to be reserved. He added that seats for zila panchayat president and ward members, members of local panchayats, gram pradhans and their members had been decided.
Education will not be an issue and elections will be conducted like previous years. District-wise reservation for the 826 blocks will be declared by the government at the state level. The process will also be issued at the same time.
The DM will publish the list of reserved seats and their allocations, which is how many seats will be reserved and the names of those seats, for pradhans, gram panchayat and zila panchayat between March 2 and 3. Then from March 4 to 8, any objections can be registered. Those who want to record an objection will have to give it in writing. After disposing of with the objections, a final list will be issued between March 10 and 12.