The Panchayati Raj Department has sent a proposal for the formation of a six-member commission to the government, but no decision has been taken yet. According to Census 2011, the percentage of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the state is 20.6982 and 0.5677 percent respectively. The same percentage of seats will be reserved for these classes in the three-tier Panchayat elections.

The percentage of OBC castes was not included in the census. According to the Rapid Survey 2015, the share of Other Backward Classes in the state’s rural population was 53.33 percent. Reservation for OBCs was decided on the basis of this survey in the 2021 elections. However, even if the OBC population in any block is more than 27 percent, the post of village head cannot be reserved for more than 27 percent. If this percentage is less than 27 percent, then posts will be reserved in the same proportion. It is mandatory to keep the percentage of reservation for OBCs at 27 percent in the three-tier Panchayat elections at the state level.

There was a controversy regarding the figures of OBC population in the municipal elections, after which the government constituted a Municipal Committee dedicated to Backward Classes and got the report prepared. Similar process will be adopted in Panchayat elections also. For this, the State Local Rural Body Dedicated Backward Classes Commission will go to various districts and survey the OBC population. Only after that the reservation process will start.

Rajbhar’s claim to conduct elections on time

Panchayati Raj Minister Omprakash Rajbhar said that Panchayat elections in the state will be held on time. When he was asked why the commission had not been formed yet, he said that he would meet the Chief Minister soon in this regard. He says that the commission will submit its report within two months of its formation.