Indirect sarpanch poll bill to be tabled in Maharashtra Assembly

In the upcoming budget session of the Maharashtra government which will start from February 24, the Uddhav Thackeray government will table a bill under which people can directly elect the village Sarpanch. Devendra Fadnavis had decided to amend the indirect Sarpanch bill which will allow people to directly elect their Sarpanch.

Mumbai(Maharashtra): Maharashtra government will table a bill in the Budget session of the Assembly under which people can directly elect the village sarpanch (headman). Governor BS Koshyari had refused to sign the promulgation of an ordinance on this and had asked the Uddhav Thackeray government to table a bill during the Budget session that starts on February 24.

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Confirming the development, Rural Development Minister Hasan Mushrif said, "Accordingly, we will bring a bill in the Budget session and get it passed."

The rule for direct election of sarpanch was brought in by the previous BJP-led Devendra Fadnavis dispensation. The Fadnavis cabinet had, on July 3, 2017, decided to amend the respective clauses of Maharashtra Gram Panchayat Actof 1958 to facilitate the election of sarpanchs (gram panchayatheads) directly from among the people of the village. (PTI REPORT)