Proposal to amend Panchayati Raj Act faces opposition

Opposition parties - Congress, BJP, and TDP objected to the state government’s proposal to amend Panchayati Raj Act of 1992 to introduce “indirect elections” for sarpanch posts in gram panchayats.

TPCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Monday said that it is not appropriate to amend Act to facilitate indirect elections for sarpanch posts.

BJP spokesperson Krishna Saagar Rao too expressed a similar view and stated that the proposed amendments are in violation of letter and spirit of the Indian Constitution. He said that the state government can make amendments for Panchayati Raj Act of 1992 locally as there is provision for the same but it cannot deviate from the framework of the national law.