By Admin 
The government is preparing to make big changes regarding Panchayati Raj and Urban Municipal Body elections in Rajasthan. If this proposal is approved then now illiterate person will not be able to contest elections for posts like Sarpanch, Councilor, Mayor, Chairman, Municipality President, District Head, Pradhan, Zilla Parishad member and Panchayat Samiti member. The government believes that if there are educated public representatives in local self-government, the functioning will be better and more transparent.
Proposal sent to Chief Minister
UDH Minister Jhabar Singh Kharra has sent the proposal related to implementing educational qualification in Panchayati Raj and Urban Municipal Body elections to Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma. Now the final decision on this will be taken at the Chief Minister level. As soon as the decision is taken, the department will start the further process. There are indications that the government may approve this proposal soon.
According to the proposal, it will be made mandatory to have at least 10th pass to become a Sarpanch. Whereas for the post of councilor, the condition of 10th or 12th pass can be kept. There is a preparation to fix the minimum educational qualification for the posts like Mayor, Chairman and Municipality Chairman in urban bodies. Its direct effect will be that illiterate candidates will not be able to contest in the upcoming Panchayat and civic elections.
The law will have to be amended
If the government implements educational qualification, then the Panchayati Raj Act and the Municipality Act will have to be amended for this. Both the bills related to the amendment will be presented in the Assembly. This rule will be legally implemented only after it is passed by the Assembly. After this, the Election Commission will also decide the election process according to the new rules.
The rule has been implemented in 2015 also
This is not the first time that the issue of educational qualification has been raised in the state. In the year 2015, during the tenure of the then Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, this rule was implemented in the Panchayati Raj and Urban Body elections. At that time there was no education requirement for Ward Panch, but for Sarpanch it was necessary to have passed eighth standard.
Even in tribal (TSP) areas, eighth pass was made mandatory for Sarpanch and 10th pass for Panchayat Samiti and Zilla Parishad members. The qualification of 10th pass was also fixed for councilor and body head.
Congress had removed the rule
This decision, implemented in 2015, was strongly opposed by the Congress. Later in the year 2019, when the Congress government was formed, the condition of educational qualification was completely removed. Congress’s argument was that the condition of education is against democratic rights and this will exclude the poor and deprived class people from the elections.