Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The state government is getting ready to amend the Nagar Palika and Panchayat Act again. In the urban bodies, the mayors were directly elected last time, but indirect elections were held for Nagar Palikas and Nagar Panchayats.
The Parshads (councillors) elected chairmen of Nagar Palikas and Panchayats. The government is getting ready to amend the process. Like mayors, the chairmen of Nagar Palikas and Nagar Panchayats will be directly elected. The government is planning to do the same thing in Panchayat elections.
Plans are also afoot to elect the chairmen of district Panchayats and Janpad Panchayats.
Indirect elections are held for these two positions. The Nagar Palika Act has been amended several times in the past few years. During the tenure of Shivraj Singh Chouhan as chief minister, direct elections were held before 2018. After the Kamal Nath-led government came to power, the Act was amended to conduct direct elections for civic bodies.
In 2020, when the Shivraj-led government returned to power, the government decided to hold direct elections for local bodies. Before the local bodies’ polls, the Act was changed. The election of mayors is directly conducted. The system of indirect elections was implemented for the Nagar Palikas and Nagar Panchayats again.
Along with this, the government is also planning to implement Right to Recall Act. The Parshads can remove the chairmen of Nagar Palikas and Nagar Panchayats by bringing a no-trust motion.
Under the Right to Recall Act, a two-thirds majority of Parshads can remove the chairmen of Nagar Palikas and Nagar Panchayats. Afterwards, the collector examines the process through which a no-trust motion is brought and sends it to the Election Commission.
Then votes are cast on the basis of Khali Kursi (empty chairs) and Bhari Kursi (full chairs). There has to be 50 per cent of votes in the process.
