Odisha amends panchayat laws

Odisha CM and BJD leader Naveen Patnaik

Ahead of the panchayat polls, the Odisha government amended three laws to punish candidates who provide false information in the affidavit filed for the rural elections. The ruling BJD government amended the Odisha Grama Panchayat Act, 1964, the Odisha Panchayat Samiti Act, 1959 and the Odisha Zilla Parishad Act, 1991 through an ordinance.

As per this ordinance, a candidate who himself or through his proposer, with intent to be elected in an election gives false information, which he knows or has reason to believe to be false or conceals any information in his nomination paper or in his affidavit will be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend up to six months, or be fined, or both. Similarly, any elected member of the three-tier Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) will be disqualified, if s/he has not furnished an affidavit containing particulars relating to his criminal antecedents, assets and liabilities and educational qualification at the time of filing nomination.

The state, which is impacted by natural disasters like cyclones frequently, has given power to the Grama Panchayats and Panchayat Samities (blocks) for disaster management. Now these can prepare their own disaster management plans and carry out and facilitate relief.

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