With Odisha Assembly not in session, Governor Ganeshi Lal has promulgated an ordinance to amend panchayat laws in the state to include provision for punishment of candidates giving false information.
The amended ordinance published in the gazette notification on December 24 said a candidate who himself or through his proposer gives false information which he knows, or has reason to believe to be false will be punished with imprisonment. It will also be applicable for those who conceal any information in his nomination paper or affidavit and the imprisonment in all cases may extend to six months, or with fine or both.
The governor promulgated the Odisha Panchayat Laws (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 on December 23 to amend the Odisha Gram Panchayat Act, 1964, Odisha Panchayat Samiti Act, 1959 and Odisha Zilla Parishad Act, 1991. The three acts did not have any provision of penalty or punishment for furnishing false information in the affidavits. "Now the provision for punishment and penalty has been provided by the ordinance," said Law Minister Pratap Jena.
The ordinance said that any elected member of the three-tier panchayati raj institutions (PRI) will be disqualified if he/she has not furnished an affidavit containing particulars relating to his criminal antecedents, assets and liabilities and educational qualification at the time of filing of nomination. It also made provision under the Grama Panchayats and Panchayat Samities Acts that the panchayats will prepare proper disaster management at the village, panchayat and block level as the state faces natural disasters like cyclones frequently.
The grama panchayats and panchayat samities can also prepare their own disaster management plans at village, panchayat and panchayat samiti levels, carry out and facilitate relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in disaster affected areas in accordance with the state and district plans. The two institutions can also undertake other measures necessary for disaster management.
The State Election Commission (SEC) had on December 19 released the model code of conduct to be followed by parties and candidates for election to the three-tier panchayati raj institutions (PRIs), due early next year. The panchayat poll is likely to be held in five-phases before March 2022 since the term of all the PRIs will be over by that time. The SEC’s notification said that polling will be held in 853 zilla parishads with party symbols and for 91,916 wards and 6,794 panchayats on non-party basis.
-With PTI Inputs
