Draft Union Parishad law
THE draft local government (Union Parishad) law finalised by the parliamentary committee on the local government ministry for passing in the next session of the Jatiya Sangsad demonstrates a tendency to pander to the political and electoral culture of the old. That is because it has done away with the earlier eligibility criteria of rescheduling bank loans, payment of utility arrear bills and providing eight pieces of vital personal information one year before filing nomination papers for the Union Parishad elections. For, by allowing the candidates to reschedule their loan and pay up arrear bills just one day before the filing of nomination papers is tantamount to issuing a 'no objection to loan default' as far as eligibility for participation in the local elections is concerned thereby virtually denying the public the right to choose their representatives from amongst candidates with clean records. What is important to note is that there will be no mechanism now to check the veracity of any statement submitted by the candidate within a span of twenty-four hours.
In truth, the earlier provisions incorporated during the erstwhile caretaker government created the scope for better and cleaner candidates to take part in the Union Parishad elections.
One might also recall here how in deference to civil society articulations and expressions of public opinion through different forums including the media, provisions for discouraging loan defaulters and persons with blemished records from participating in elections were adopted. There was also a High Court ruling on the requirement of affidavits furnishing eight pieces of information to enable the electorate to make informed choices.
Also, it is worthwhile to mention that a parliamentary committee recommendation for grant of advisory role to MPs in the municipalities has been overturned in the parliament. It was assumed that the same principle might be applied in case of city corporations. We would urge the parliament to take a similar stance by way of spirit in regard to the stipulation about loan and bill default and furnishing of eight information. It would be all the better, if the parliamentary committee on the local government ministry itself has a rethink on its recommendations they had made in the draft local government (Union Parishad) law.
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