Bhubaneswar, Oct 12 (IANS): Clearing the decks for the urban local bodies elections, the Odisha government has notified the Odisha Municipal Laws (Amendment) Act, 2021 to keep the overall reservation in the various urban local bodies (ULBs) below 50 per cent, said law minister Pratap Jena.

After the passing of the Bills in the Odisha Legislative Assembly, a gazette notification was issued making necessary amendments to the Odisha Municipal Act, 1950 and the Odisha Municipal Corporation Act, 2003, Jena said.

He said the maximum limit of reservation of seats has been kept at 50 per cent for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and backward classes in all urban civic bodies.

Seats will be reserved for backward classes in every NAC, municipality and municipal corporation not exceeding 27 per cent subject to the ceiling limit of 50 per cent of the total number of seats of such corporations including the seats reserved for SC, ST and backward classes.

The government will give priority to STs and SCs in reservations and the remaining seats, if any, will be reserved for the backward classes with a maximum ceiling of 27 per cent, sources said.