THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Participants in a discussion on decentralisation of powers here on Sunday highlighted the need to depoliticise local self- government institutions and improve people's participation in development.

K. Mohankumar, District Congress Committee president, stressed the need to equip local bodies with a development agenda that cannot be subverted by political compulsions. He said elected representatives should not be subjected to the dictates of the political leadership.

"With elected members forced to tow the agenda of their parties, development takes a backseat. The poor participation in grama sabhas points to the failure to involve the people in the decision-making process. But despite the shortcomings, the decentralisation experiment has not been a failure". Mr. Mohankumar supported the need to promote independent candidates for elections to local bodies.

The discussion was organised by Kerala Watch in the backdrop of the forthcoming elections to local bodies.

BJP leader K. Raman Pillai said the delay in preparing the voters list exposed the UDF Government's attempt to scuttle the elections to local bodies. Pointing out that many local bodies were facing political instability, he mooted the idea of direct election of panchayat presidents, municipal chairpersons and mayors.

"In many cases, panchayat presidents have been toppled by the fragile political arithmetic in the council. Direct election to the chair for a five-year tenure will ensure political stability," he said. Mr. Pillai said a single voters list for elections to the Parliament, Assembly and local bodies would help avoid duplication of effort.

He said the Government should introduce legislative amendments to abolish intermediate tiers such as block panchayats and municipalities, which impose additional burden on administrative expense.

Mr. Pillai said the decentralisation process in Kerala was yet to percolate down to the lowest classes. He observed that the three-tier system of local self- Government had failed to address the housing and basic needs of the needy sections.

The former State Election Commissioner M.S. Joseph alleged that the UDF Government had usurped the powers of the Commission by ordering elections to local bodies without adequate preparation. He said the delay in preparing the voters list had affected the election process. Mr. Joseph said overpoliticisation had turned out to be the bane of local bodies in the State. He, however, noted that the decentralisation process had registered a positive impact in some sectors.

"Though the process was bogged down by the lack of political will in the initial phase, the initiative of political leaders like E.M.S. Namboodiripad, A.K. Antony and Paloli Mohammed Kutty took it forward," he said.

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