MAKING A POINT: Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court Cyriac Joseph delivering the inaugural address at a legal awareness workshop for elected representatives of Panchayati Raj bodies in Mysore on Sunday. — PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM

MYSORE: People's representatives, including members of Panchayati Raj bodies, have a great responsibility in developing rural areas to prevent migration, Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court Cyriac Joseph has said.

He was speaking after inaugurating a legal workshop for elected members of Panchayat Raj institutions of Mysore district on Sunday. It was organised by Mysore District Legal Services Authority.

Mr. Joseph said that Bangalore was an exceptional island of development. But Karnataka did not include just Bangalore, he said.

"Everyone wants to come and live in cities for want of adequate infrastructure. Medical and educational infrastructure should be provided in rural areas to prevent migration. The elected representatives can bring about a change through public participation," he said.

Mr. Joseph said that while Mahatma Gandhi introduced the concept of Gram Swaraj, Rajiv Gandhi effectively implemented the idea by bringing suitable amendments to the Constitution. The reason behind decentralisation should be understood properly. Ministers in several States were unwilling to decentralise power, he said.

Referring to elections to student councils in colleges, he said: "Student unions are meant to train students in playing their role in a democracy. But many colleges follow the process of appointments as principals view the elections as trouble."

The Governments had the right to dissolve Panchayati Raj bodies if they failed to perform their duty, he added.

The Chief Justice suggested that legal awareness workshops be held for members of Panchayati Raj bodies as many laws were being framed in the State for which they had to frame bylaws. Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj C.M. Udasi said he would direct his department to issue circulars for conduct of workshops.

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