Other States - Pondicherry   

Bill for indirect election of panchayat chiefs okayed

Special Correspondent

Legislation seeks to amend Panchayats Act 1973

PONDICHERRY: The Pondicherry Assembly passed on Monday the Village and Commune Panchayats (Amendment) Bill to ensure that Chairpersons of Commune Panchayats in the Union Territory are elected indirectly by and from among the elected members of the commune panchayat councils.

The Bill, tabled by the Local Administration Minister, A. Elumalai, in the House, was passed in the Assembly. It seeks to convert the existing method of direct election to the post of chairpersons of the Commune panchayats into indirect election. It seeks to effect amendment to sub section (2) of Section 48 of the Village and Commune Panchayats Act 1973 to fall in line with provisions contained in the Constitution prescribing that the chairperson of the Panchayat at the intermediate level or district level should be elected by and from among the elected members thereof.

Municipalites Act passed

The Pondicherry Assembly on Monday passed a Bill seeking to amend the Pondicherry Municipalities Act 1973 for enhancing increase in the deduction in maintenance of buildings from 10 per cent to 15 per cent.

The Bill follows an assurance given in the House that a committee would be set up to go into the problems faced by property tax-payers and to make suggestions on the methodology for assessment of property tax under the Act.

One of the panel's recommendations was that the percentage of allowance for maintenance of buildings which was now fixed at 10 per cent of the computed annual rental value be raised to 15 per cent.

This measure would entail a recurring loss of Rs 54.78 lakhs to local bodies in the Union Territory.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

AIADMK, BJP walk out of Pondicherry Assembly
Special revision of poll roll from October 20
Pondy fiscal deficit goes up by Rs. 23 crores
Bill for indirect election of panchayat chiefs okayed
Rs. 10 lakhs for kin of MLAs who die in harness
Bonus hike for Government staff
Government not ignoring Karaikal region, says Rangasamy

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu