The News:

• Recently, the Haryana Assembly passed the Haryana Panchayati Raj (Second Amendment and Validation) Act, 2020 which provides the right to recall members of Panchayati Raj Institutions to those who elected them.
• It also provides women 50% reservation in these rural bodies, and 8% reservation to the "more disadvantaged" among the Backward Classes.

• A recall election is typically a process by which voters seek to remove elected representatives through a direct vote, before their term is completed.
• Significance/Rational for Right to Recall
  • Allows citizens to exercise their democratic right in case an elected representative fails to fulfill his/her promises and constitutional duty.
  • Ensures accountability of political representatives towards people.
  • Fosters citizen-centric governance.
• In India, various states have the right to recall provisions at local level bodies. For eg.
  • Madhya Pradesh: MP was the first state in India to provide for right to recall in local bodies. Municipal Corporation Act 1956 and the MP Municipalities and Nagar Panchayats Act 1961 was amended in 2000 to provide the right to recall mayors and chairpersons.
  • Punjab: The Right to Recall under Punjab Panchayat Act, 1994, enables Panchs (elected members) to remove a sarpanch by moving a no-confidence motion.
  • Bihar: Bihar Panchayat Raj Act containes the provision of recalling the elected Mukhiya from his/her post if one-fifth of the electorates of a panchayat demand the recall.
  • Chattisgarh: Section 47 (recall of President) of the Chhattisgarh Nagar Palika Act, 1961, provides for the holding of elections to recall elected presidents for non-performance.
• Applicability w.r.t Parliament & State Legislatures
• Not applicable to Member of Parliament & Member of Legislative Assembly at present.
• The Representation of the People Act, 1951, only provides for the vacation of office upon the commission of certain offences such as corruption, dowry, etc. It does not account for the general incompetence of representatives or dissatisfaction of electorate.

• It allows the recall of village sarpanches and members of the block-level Panchayat Samitis and district-level Zila Parishad if they fail to perform.
• Empowering rural people: People in rural areas will get the democratic right to remove a sarpanch or members of the two bodies even before their tenure is over.
• Procedure to recall sarpanches and members of the block-level Panchayat Samitis and district-level Zila Parishad.
• 50% of members of a gram sabha have to give in writing that they want to initiate proceedings.
• This will be followed by a secret ballot.
• Recall will require two-third of members to vote against them.