SECM to hold two-day national conference from November 2

The State Election Commission of Maharashtra (SECM) will hold a two-day national conference to take stock of the implementation of the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments and the need for reforms.
The amendments gave constitutional status to panchayati raj institutions and urban local bodies.
The conference will be held from November 2 at University of Mumbai's Kalina campus and is jointly hosted by University of Mumbai and Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune.
SECM Election Commissioner J S Saharia told reporters that the commission felt the need for introspection on the way progress has been made in regards to implementation of the provisions of the constitutional amendments in urban and rural local self governing bodies.

The conference is aimed at taking a critical review and the need to chart future path, Saharia said.
It will be inaugurated by Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will attend the concluding session.

Saharia said the conference will deliberate on five major topics of electoral reforms, local self governing bodies and state government, notable achievements and best practices adopted by local self governing bodies both within the country and in other countries.
It will also discuss effective participation of women in local self governing bodies and allocation of funds and powers of the local self governing bodies.

"Several research scholars, former ministers, corporators, mayors, Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and others are to attend the conference," he added.