Badal clarify's on reserved seats for Sarpanches

Chandigarh, June 4 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today categorically declared that there would be no change in the existing clauses on the election of Sarpanches from reserved seats.

No one would be allowed to alter the provisions in this regard and where ever reservation has been made, only those from reserved categories would head Panchayats and other Panchayati Raj Institutions, he said in a strongly worded statement here.

Mr Badal was reacting to reports in a section of the press which said that if the members of a particular Panchayat in the reserved category express their unwillingness to head these institutions, someone from the general category would be allowed to contest for the post of a Sarpanch.

" This is totally incorrect, baseless and misleading", he added.

The SAD-BJP was totally committed to safeguard the rights of the socially and economically backward classes and would not allow any compromise on their democratic rights, he added.

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