Having implemented minimum educational qualifications for candidates contesting elections for the Panchayati Raj institutions (PRIs) and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), Haryana now wants the same for the members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and members of Parliament (MPs).

The Chief Minister (CM), Manohar Lal Khattar, on Sunday said he has written to the Union government for fixing minimum qualification for MPs and MLAs to contest elections.

“As we have made this provision (educational qualification) for PRIs and it has shown good. It was also held by the Supreme Court (SC). So it’s a suggestion ( education qualification for MLAs and MPs) we have given to the Centre,” Khattar said on Sunday.

In September 2015, Khattar-led BJP government had faced much criticism for an amendment to the Haryana Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 as the new law, among other things, prescribed minimum educational qualifications for candidates.

The new criterion, upheld by the Supreme Court, however, changed the complexion of panchayats in the state when elections were held in January 2016 for the posts of over 6,000 sarpanches (village heads) as younger and better-educated candidates won.

Over 2,500 women were elected sarpanches despite the fact that there were only 2,097 seats reserved for them.

As per the official figures, the average age of elected sarpanch came down to 36 as against 43 in the 2010 panchayat elections and the number of matriculates went up from 28.8 per cent in 2010 to 59.7 per cent in 2016.

Also, there has been a marginal increase in the number of graduates and postgraduates — 12.8 per cent in 2016 as compared to 10.9 per cent in 2010 — getting elected to the post of sarpanch.

While there were only 33 per cent seats reserved for the post of woman sarpanch, they accounted for about 42 per cent of the elected sarpanches, indicating their growing role.

The most surprising results were witnessed in the socio-economically backward Meo-Muslim district of Mewat with women candidates wresting 24 unreserved seats of sarpanch. Also the average age of elected woman sarpanches in Mewat district is 26 as against 32, the state-wide average for elected woman sarpanches.

After Panchayat polls, Haryana government has already fixed the minimum educational qualification required for candidates contesting in elections for ULBs in the state.

According to these changes, in the general category, male candidates must have passed Class X, while female candidates must have passed Class VIII. In the reserved category, male candidates must have passed Class VIII, while female candidates must have passed Class V.