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If you don't have a toilet, you are not eligible for contesting local body elections in Gujarat. Taking forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Clean India drive, the Gujarat government on Wednesday amended the 1993 Gujarat Panchayat Act, making it mandatory for those contesting district, taluka and gram panchayat elections to have toilets at their respective homes.
"It has been made mandatory for those who want to contest district, taluka and gram panchayat elections to have toilets at their respective homes before they file their nominations," said Gujarat government spokesperson.
Gujarat government has also given six months time to construct toilets at the homes of those who are currently members of local bodies but do not have toilets at their homes. Such members of the local body will also have to obtain certificate from their gram panchayat and furnish the same to Taluka Development Officer (TDO).
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"In order to strengthen the cleanliness drive in Gujarat, the state government offers financial assistance to construct toilets. And, the decision to make toilets mandatory for contesting local body elections is also an important step taken under the leadership of the chief minister Anandiben Patel," Saurabh Patel and Nitin Patel, Gujarat government spokesperson, said in a statement.
Earlier in August, Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel had proposed that a toilet facility at home should be made a prerequisite for any aspirant who wants to contest an election in the state.
