Bhubaneswar : , Dec 25, 2005 – The Odisha government has amended three laws in order to penalize candidates who submit false information in an affidavit for rural elections.Through an ordinance, the ruling BJD government modified the Odisha Grama Panchayat Act of 1964, Odisha Panchayat Samiti Act (1959) and Odisha Zilla Parishad Act ( 1991).
The ordinance states that any candidate, either by himself or his sponsor, who gives false information with the intent of being elected to an election, or hides information in his nomination papers or in his affidavit, will face imprisonment up to 6 months or both.
Likewise, elected members of three-tier Panchayati Raj Institutions will be disqualified if they have not provided an affidavit containing details about his criminal antecedents and assets, liabilities, and education qualification as of the filing of nomination.
Because the state is often affected by natural disasters such as cyclones, it has granted power to Grama Panchayats (blocks), for disaster management.
The gram panchayats can now prepare disaster management plans at the village, panchayat, and panchayat-samiti levels.
They will then facilitate relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction in disaster areas according to state and district plans.
These two institutions may also take other steps necessary to manage disasters.
This provision is not included in the Zilla Parishad Act.
The state government released a new draft of the seat reservation list to be used for Zilla Parishad’s (ZP), chairperson in 30 different districts.
According to the draft notification seven ZP chairs are reserved by ST candidates and five are for SC candidates.
Sources said that the Supreme Court has recently ordered not to hold seats reserved for the Other Backward Class until proper enumerations are done.
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