The Himachal Pradesh Assembly witnessed sharp exchanges on Wednesday over the state government's recent amendment to reservation roster rules for the upcoming Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) elections, with the Opposition BJP staging a walkout after being denied a discussion under Rule 67.
The controversy centres on the government's decision to empower Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to make changes in up to 5 per cent of the total reserved posts for gram panchayat pradhans and panchayat samiti chairpersons. The remaining 95 per cent of seats will continue to be allocated as per standard reservation norms.
Raising the issue, BJP legislators termed the amendment "anti-democratic" and a violation of constitutional provisions. They alleged that the move was a deliberate attempt by the government to delay the panchayat elections under various pretexts. The situation escalated when the Speaker disallowed a discussion under Rule 67, prompting BJP members to walk out of the House.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu hit back, accusing the Opposition of creating unnecessary disruption for political mileage. He maintained that the amendment was a practical measure aimed at correcting anomalies in reservation allocation.
Addressing the House, Sukhu said in the absence of updated Census data, the reservation roster would be based on the 2011 Census, even though demographic changes may have altered the composition of several panchayats. "There have been instances where panchayats reserved for OBCs had no OBC population. The limited power given to DCs is to address such discrepancies," he said.
Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, however, strongly objected to granting discretionary powers to district authorities. He argued that reservation rosters are determined strictly on the basis of population and rotational principles, leaving no scope for administrative intervention. "This provision could be misused to favour certain individuals and will have far-reaching consequences," he cautioned.
BJP MLA Randhir Sharma echoed these concerns, alleging that the 5 per cent clause was merely a "facade" to manipulate the broader reservation framework. He further claimed that the State Election Commission had not been consulted and accused the government of bypassing due constitutional procedure. "Such decisions reflect an authoritarian approach," he said.
Rejecting all allegations, Sukhu reiterated that the government was committed to holding PRI elections before May 31, in line with Supreme Court directives, unless impeded by legal challenges. Following the Opposition's walkout, BJP members did not return to the House, even as proceedings continued briefly before being adjourned till Thursday.