Local bodies polls: Raj govt says will review minimum educational qualification condition

The new Rajasthan government said Thursday it would review the condition of minimum educational qualification for candidates to contest local bodies elections in the state.

Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, who was allotted the portfolios of rural development and panchayti raj late on Wednesday night, supported the idea of having a minimum educational qualification for candidates, but said it should start from Lok Sabha and assembly elections.

"We will review the condition of educational qualification for candidates to contest local bodies elections," he told reporters here.

Pilot was allotted the portfolios amid reports of differences with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. The allocation of portfolios to ministers was unusually delayed after the government was sworn in on December 17.

Gehlot, however, asserted on Thursday there was no difference within the state unit of the party.

The Congress party in its election manifesto had promised that the condition of minimum educational qualification will be removed.

The previous BJP government led by Vasundhara Raje had introduced the provision of minimum qualification for aspiring candidates in local bodies polls in 2015.

A candidate should be Class 10 pass for contesting municipal elections while in Panchayti Raj institutions, the minimum qualification is Class 8for the post of sarpanch (and Class 5 in tribal reserved areas) and Class 10 for Zila Parishad or Panchayat Samiti elections.