Demand for Transparency: PESA Rules in Spotlight in Jharkhand

Babulal Marandi, Leader of the Opposition in Jharkhand, is urging the state government to publish the Panchayat Extension of Scheduled Areas (PESA) rules. Marandi highlights concerns about transparency and potential misinformation, emphasizing the importance of public awareness about these rules that pertain to customary governance systems in tribal areas.

Babulal Marandi, Leader of the Opposition in Jharkhand, has called on the state government to publicly release the Panchayat Extension of Scheduled Areas (PESA) rules proposal. Addressing reporters, Marandi stressed that transparency is crucial to prevent confusion and misinformation among the public.

The Jharkhand Cabinet approved the PESA rules on Tuesday. While the government praises the proposal's approval, Marandi criticizes the lack of disclosure, suggesting that the government has something to hide. He emphasizes that both the public and their representatives lack clarity on the rules, relying solely on media reports for information.

Former Chief Minister Arjun Munda also expressed disappointment over the non-publication of the PESA proposal, which is meant to uphold traditional governance systems. Marandi further advocated for conducting municipal elections on a party basis to foster cleaner democracy, opposing the influence of money and muscle in independent elections.

(With inputs from agencies.)