The NCP on Thursday asked the state government to reconsider its decision making it mandatory for candidates contesting local bodies polls to have toilets at home.
The NCP on Thursday asked the state government to reconsider its decision making it mandatory for candidates contesting local bodies polls to have toilets at home. The government took the decision two days ago so the local body members in urban areas would encourage the Swachha Bharat Mission programme of the Centre.
“About 70 per cent of people in Mumbai and many urban areas do not have toilets at home. They live in slums and chawls. Does the government want poor people to stay away from contesting polls ” NCP spokesman Nawab Malik asked. He asked the government to reconsider its decision stating that those using public toilets are ineligible to contest polls.
Admitting the decision was first implemented by the then Congress-NCP government, Mr Malik said at that time his government had not included the urban areas.
“In urban areas, many poor people do not have toilets at home. They use public toilets. This decision cannot be applicable in such a situation,” he said.
On December 1, the state government had said that toilets are a must to contest local body polls in Maharashtra, a move which came after Haryana, also ruled by the BJP, amended the state’s Panchayati Raj Act making toilets at the homes of candidates mandatory for contesting panchayat elections.
The decision for rural local bodies was taken in 2012. The government will have to amend the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Ordinance 1988, Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act and Maharashtra Municipal Council, Nagar Panchayatas and Industrial Townships Act 1965. As per the 2011 census, only 1.13 crore families have toilets in the state.
