AIUDF MLA moves private member Bill seeking amendments in Panchayat Act

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: On the second day of the autumn session of the Assam Legislative Assembly, All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) MLA Aminul Islam (senior) today moved a private member Bill in the House seeking certain amendments in the Assam Panchayat Act.

Islam introduced the Assam Panchayat (Amendment) Bill, 2022 in the House. However, State Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass said that the government was also mulling bringing in some amendments in the Assam Panchayat Act and for this, the government had constituted a cabinet sub-committee last month. He assured that the suggestions put forth by Islam and other members of the House would be considered by this cabinet sub-committee. So, there was no need for introducing the Assam Panchayat (Amendment) Bill, 2022 at this point. After the minister's assurance, Aminul Islam withdrew the Bill.

Earlier, while introducing the Assam Panchayat (Amendment) Bill, 2022, Islam said that candidates should be allowed to contest in the gaon panchayat elections without any party symbol. He said that there were many people who genuinely wanted to work for the people and the society but did not want to align with any political party. If the Panchayat Act was amended to allow candidates to contest without any party symbol, such people would come forward to contest the elections.

According to the Panchayat Act, the gaon panchayat president is elected by the people but the panchayat members can remove his by passing a no-confidence motion against him. Islam sought amendment in this clause of the Act. He said that as the gaon panchayat president was elected by the people, he should not be removed from his post if the panchayat members pass a no-confidence motion against him. Very often, panchayat members remove a sincere gaon panchayat president for their selfish interests. This must be prevented by amending the Panchayat Act, he said.

Islam also sought delimitation of the gaon panchayat wards based on population.

While some members of the House felt that panchayat polls should be contested under party symbol, many members agreed that panchayat members should not be allowed to remove a gaon panchayat president by passing no-confidence motion against him. Some members also suggested that an amendment must be made in the Panchayat Act to prevent panchayat members from changing their political parties after getting elected.

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