Non-councillors will be allowed to contest the elections to the post of the mayor or chairperson of the urban local bodies in the state in rare and special circumstances, a Rajasthan minister said on Friday.
The remarks came after a week-long row over the decision, in which the government had allowed non-councillors contest the elections, drawing a sharp reaction from state Congress president and Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot.
He had disapproved it publicly, saying it was against the ethos of a democracy.
Minister for Local Self-Governance Shanti Dhariwal said in cases where the post of the head in a civic body was reserved for the SC, ST, OBC and women and there was no elected councillor (of the party which wins a majority of seats) from the reserved category, then the party may chose their non-elected leaders of the particular category to contest.
In normal circumstances, candidates would be chosen from the elected councillors, he said.
Reacting to the development, Pilot said the issue which was taken by him had been recognised by the government.
"I am happy that the government has changed its decision of having unelected people run for the post of the mayor and chairperson. I believe it is against the ethos of our democracy and I am happy that the issue we took up has now been recognised," Pilot said