Odisha Panchayat polls 2022: 6-month jail for giving false information

Bhubaneswar, Dec 26: Odisha government has promulgated an ordinance to amend panchayat laws in the state making the candidates mandatorily submit details on criminal antecedents, assets and liabilities, educational qualifications through affidavits at the time of filing nomination papers.

The December 24 gazette notification states that candidates furnishing false information will be punished with imprisonment. "The Odisha Panchayat Laws (Amendment) ordinance, 2021 to amend the 'Odisha Grama Panchayats Act, 1964,' 'The Odisha Panchayat Samiti Act, 1959' and 'The Odisha Zilla Parisad Act, 1991'. As per the Ordinance, "Candidates contesting for Sarpanch, Samiti members and Zilla Parishad will have to mandatorily furnish an affidavit containing particulars relating to his/her criminal antecedents, assets and liabilities and educational qualification at the time of filing of nomination," an ANI report said.

"The Odisha Panchayat Laws (Amendment) ordinance, 2021 to amend the 'Odisha Grama Panchayats Act, 1964,' 'The Odisha Panchayat Samiti Act, 1959' and 'The Odisha Zilla Parisad Act, 1991'.
The new rules will come to effect in the forthcoming Panchayat Elections scheduled to be held in February 2022.

The future ordinance said, "If a candidate who himself/herself or through his/her proposer, with intent to be elected in an election gives false information which he/she knows or has reason to believe to be false or conceals any information in his/her nomination paper or in his/her affidavit which is required to be delivered shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine, or with both. "

In addition to it, the state government has given the power to Gram Panchayat and Panchayat Samiti for disaster management. It means panchayats samities can also prepare their own disaster management plans at village, panchayat and panchayat samiti levels, carry out and facilitate relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in disaster affected areas in accordance with the state and district plans, reported PTI.