The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Monday gave its approval for setting up a dedicated commission to reserve seats for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the three-tier panchayat raj institutions — the rural local self-government system.
The five-member Uttar Pradesh State Rural Local Bodies Dedicated Backward Classes Commission will be headed by a retired judge of the high court. The commission is expected to submit its report within the six-month tenure of the chairperson and members.
As the five-year tenure of present three-tier panchayat raj institutions, elected in 2021, will expire in a staggered manner between late May and mid-July 2026, the elections for new panchayats may possibly be held only after UP assembly polls due in early 2027.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath presided over the meeting of the state cabinet that also approved Uttar Pradesh Birth and Death Registration Rules 2026 that provides for a fee for registering births and deaths after the expiry of the 21-day period when the registration will be done free of charge. This was the first meeting of the state cabinet after the allocation of portfolios to newly inducted ministers.
As for the panchayat polls, the state government is apparently weighing options before deciding whether or not to defer them beyond the mandated five-year term.
Briefing the media, minister for finance and parliamentary affairs Suresh Khanna did not give a categorical reply to questions whether the state government intended to defer the panchayat elections. He said the commission is being set up in accordance with the orders of the Supreme Court to provide reservation in the three-tier panchayats.
The Supreme Court has provided for a legal framework of a “triple test” mandating the state government to meet three conditions for providing reservation to OBCs by setting up a dedicated commission to study the nature and implications of backwardness being one of the three conditions.
Khanna said reservation is provided in the three-tier rural bodies in accordance with provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Panchayati Raj Act 1947, the Uttar Pradesh Kshetra Panchayat Evam Zila Panchayat Adhiniyam 1961 and Article 243-D of the Constitution of India. The seats and posts, including that of chairpersons, are reserved for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes in the rural panchayats in proportion to their population in the respective panchayat body.
Birth and Death Registration Rules
The Uttar Pradesh Birth and Death Registration Rules 2026, approved by the state cabinet on Monday, provide for a late fee of ₹20 if the birth and death is not registered within 21 days. The late fee will remain ₹20 if the registration is done within 30 days of birth and death. A sum of ₹50 will be charged as late fee if the registration is done between 30 days and within one year of birth or death. A late fee of ₹100 will be charged if the birth or death is registered after one year. The rule also provides for late fee for providing names of parents of the child born, typing errors and also for searching any unavailable certificate.
Internship allowance for veterinary doctors increased
The state cabinet approved a proposal to increase the internship
allowance payable to veterinary doctors from ₹4000 per month to ₹12,000 per month in Uttar Pradesh.
Minister for animal husbandry Dharampal Singh said three universities in Uttar Pradesh impart education in veterinary science. He said a higher internship allowance is being paid to veterinary doctors in other states like Haryana ( ₹14,000), Karnataka ( ₹14,000) and Kerala ( ₹20,000) and the state cabinet decided to increase the same from ₹4000 to ₹12,000 in the state. He said the state government will have to incur an additional expenditure of ₹4.20 crore per annum following the decision.
Draft or Revenue Code Amendment Ordinance okayed
The state cabinet on Monday again approved the draft of the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code (amendment) Ordinance 2026 to ease the process of the change of land use in notified areas of development authorities and industrial development authorities. Minister for finance and parliamentary affairs Suresh Khanna said the state cabinet had earlier approved the draft ordinance in March. He said the ordinance, however, could not be promulgated keeping in view the move to hold a day-long special session of the state legislature on April 30.
State govt loans
The state cabinet approved an amendment to the general notification (about securities) dated 20 July 2007 that provides for premature payments and renewal of loans taken by the state governments, as cleared by the Reserve Bank of India.
