The Rajasthan high court has struck down provisions made by the state government in Panchayat Act to provide 20 per cent seats to youth and 50 per cent to women and ruled that such provisions were against the Constitution.
A division bench headed by Chief Justice Jagdish Bhalla ruled it on Thursday while delivering its judgment on the subject and noted that the amendment in the panchayat law in this regard violated the right to equality. The state government had in 2009 announced that it will reserve 20 per cent seats for youth between the age of 21 to 35 years and 50 per cent for women in panchayat bodies. A local resident in Jhunjhunu district had challenged it on the term that it is against Article 14 of the Constitution which ensures equality. The petitioner argued that it will exceed the limit of reservation fixed by the Supreme Court.