• The Jharkhand Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2010 was introduced in the Lok Sabha by the Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Shri C.P. Joshi.  The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on August 17, 2010. 

• The Bill repeals the Jharkhand Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Ordinance, 2010. 

• The Act provided for reservation for women in at least one-third of seats in each category: General, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Castes.  This Bill raises this to half the seats.  This is applicable to Gram Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishads in both general and Scheduled areas.

• The Bill changes the provision regarding the reservation of posts of (a) Mukhia and Up-Mukhia, (b) Pramukh of the district and Up-Pramukh, (c) Adhyaksha and Upadhyaksha of Zila parishad.    

General areas

• The posts of Mukhia, Pramukhs and Adhyakshas of the District shall be reserved for SCs and STs in proportion of their population.

• The posts shall be allotted by rotation. 

• If the reserved seats are less than fifty percent, the remaining seats shall be reserved for OBCs to the extent of their proportion in the population (This provision will not be applicable for Adhyakshas). 

• Out of the total reserved seats, fifty percent of the posts shall be reserved for women belonging to SC, ST and OBCs.

Scheduled areas - Not less than 50 percent of the total posts of Mukhia and Pramukh shall be reserved for women.

Both general and Scheduled areas - The post of (a) Up-Mukhia, (b) Up-Pramukh, and (c) Upadhyaksha shall be kept unreserved in both General and Scheduled areas.

• The Bill gives the State Election Commission powers to:

• Initiate action on allegations of irregularities in Panchayat elections; and,

• Appoint a General expenditure Observer in consultation with the State Government.  The Observer shall supervise the entire election process and submit a report to the State Election Commission.