Supreme Court

Rajbala & ors v. State of Haryana and ors

10.12.2015

Election

Supreme court upholds minimum educational requirements to contest polls

The Supreme Court upheld amendments effected by the Haryana Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Act, 2015 which specified educational criteria for those looking to contest elections to Panchayats in the state. It also rejected variously challenges to other eligibility criteria introduced, including, but not limited to, a declaration that the interested candidate have a functioning toilet at their residence and no arrears to certain cooperative banks rest on his or her shoulders. The Court held the Act to be intra vires the Constitution and opined there existed ‘a reasonable nexus with object [model representatives for local self government] sought to be achieved’.

Relevant

The Haryana Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Act, 2015 can be downloaded from Haryana’s Development & Panchayats Department website here.

Tags : Haryana election panchayat criteria

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