ISSUES WITH RTR AT LOCAL LEVEL

RTR in MP (RTR is operational for the past 16 years) revealed functional problems

Signature verification New voters who participated

Grounds for recall
procedure by the district in recall elections had not
were arbitrary.
collector was unsa sfactory voted in the general elections

Overall, mixed impressions about the impact of the reform in MP.

Since 2000, 33 recall elections held at the municipal level in the state, incumbent
was recalled in 17 instances and not recalled in 16

POSSIBLE CHALLENGES WITH RTR AT STATE

and NATIONAL LEVEL
PROVISIONS FOR RTR AT

Right To
De-stabilise- Former CEC S.Y. Quraishi is not in favour - it will
MUNICIPAL LEVEL IN INDIA
“destabilise” the country as whereever there is discontent,
people will start recalling,
Section 53

Recall
of the Rajasthan Section 24 of
Election fatigue- by recalling/rejecting the Municipalities the Madya Pradesh
candidates and having another election Act, 2009 was Municipal Corporation
may cause cause election fatigue & lower amended 2011 as Act, 1956 and
the Rajasthan Section 47 of the
voter turnout. Municipalities
Madhya Pradesh
(Amendment)
Bill, 2011 Municipalities
Political tool-It could be misused especially Act, 1961
in places such as Kashmir and North-Eastern

LEGISLATORS states

Section 17
WAY FORWARD of Bihar
Municipal
Recall is a process whereby the electorate has the Act, 2007
power to remove the elected officials before
There is a need to evolve a unique model suitable
the expiry of their term
to our needs, by learning from the rich experience
at the local level, which does not threaten the
poli cal stability
Section 47 (recall of
WHY TO GO FOR RTR? President) of the
Chhattisgarh Nagar
RTR can be introduced with adequate Palika Act 1961
International experience- in place in Canada's
Enhance vertical accountability-At present, safeguards. For ex-a proposal for RTR would
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia Soruce: Author's
no recourse for the electorate if they are be ini ated only a er two years of elec on etc.
since 1995. In US, some states allow on compilation based on data from
unhappy with their elected representative. state election commissions.
specific grounds such as misconduct or
malfeasance.

Decrease role of Money power - morally Logic and justice - Like election, people
skewed candidates would weigh the risk should also have the power to remove
of being recalled the representatives