Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is said to be in plans to do away with MPTC and ZPTC system in Telangana as the current model gives limited powers to elected members.
This is not the first time such an attempt has been made in the state. In 1999, Chandrababu Naidu tried to amend the law but failed to do so in combined Andhra Pradesh. Even BRS chief and ex CM tried to go ahead, but could not as the law needs Union approval. In case of Chandrababu, the amendment was not passed in the Rajya Sabha.
Now, once again Revanth Reddy has brought the subject into spotlight. The issue will come up for discussion in the Assembly on February 23.
Currently, Telangana follows a 3-tier panchayati raj system since 1995. It is the voters who elect representatives at the village, mandal and district levels.
However, the system has its own pitfalls. The sarpanches have no role to play in the mandal parishad. Similarly, MPP has no authority in Zilla parishads.
So to provide better role for them, the ruling Congress government is considering indirect elections. If passed, sarpanches will elect MPPs and MPPs will elect Zilla Parishad chairperson. This means, there would be no separate MPTC and ZPTC elections.
For now, the Telangana Panchayati Raj department is studying the processes in other states. Once it provides a review report, the Congress government will take a decision.
Then there are demands from sarpanches, MPTC and ZPTC members. MPTC and ZPTC members have a say in the election of MLCs which the sarpanches don’t. Hence the sarpanches are demanding voting rights. On the other hand, MPTC and ZPTC members are demanding more powers and facilities.
But Revanth Reddy could turn it into another BC reservation bill as the panchayati raj amendment requires Union approval.
Telangana political analysts say scrapping the system will mean snatching power from local leaders. Though Revanth Reddy government is considering legal and political ramifications, the Telangana citizens feel Revanth Reddy is talking shop once again.
