Bhubaneswar, Dec 29 (PTI) Opposition BJP on Wednesday urged Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal to ensure OBC reservation in the upcoming panchayat election in the state.
A delegation of BJP legislators submitted a memorandum to the governor, seeking his intervention in the issue.
“Going ahead with present elections without reservations for OBCs shall deprive OBCs of their rights for next five years,” the memorandum signed by the MLAs said.
Noting that the Constitution mandates advancement and adequate representation to SCs, STs and OBCs, the lawmakers said that adequate representation of OBCs in local self-government is the objective, intent, and purpose of the idea of the decentralisation of power and taking governance to the grassroots level.
They said that the state government’s move to proceed with the panchayat elections without OBC reservation, however, is contrary to the objective, intent and purpose of the constitutional scheme of advancement and adequate representation of OBCs.
They also pointed out that it was clear from the submission of the advocate general in Orissa High Court that the state government has planned to go ahead with panchayat elections without giving any reservation to OBCs.
The state government has also released a draft reservation list for the zilla parishads on December 27 and panchayat samitis and sarpanch on December 29.
“It is quite unfortunate that the Government of Odisha is actively pursuing to conduct the panchayat elections without reservation to OBCs. Such an election would deprive the persons belonging to OBC community for five long years,” they said.
Noting that two such cases related to the same issue in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh are still sub-judice, the BJP MLAs said that the Centre is concerned on the matter and after examining the issue, has already filed a review petition before the Supreme Court to allow political reservation of OBCs in the local bodies/municipal corporations.
The BJP MLAs also submitted a memorandum to SEC and requested it to conduct panchayat polls after making provision of reservation for OBCs.
The BJP’s move came a day after the state unit of Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) opined that there is a need to first implement the OBC quota before holding panchayat polls.
The SEC has issued notification for holding the panchayat elections and also model code of conduct for parties and candidates, though polling dates are yet to be announced. PTI AAM ACD ACD
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