The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : No-trust motion sought against panchayat member

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Thursday, Feb 01, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

No-trust motion sought against panchayat member

Special Correspondent

237 grama sabha members submit plea to Government

Thiruvananthapuram: As many as 237 grama sabha members of the Moolakara ward in the Kottukal panchayat, near here, have moved the Government demanding a special meeting of the sabha to discuss a no-confidence motion against ward member J. Dakshayani.

In a memorandum submitted to the Local Self-Government Secretary, the members accused the ward member of demanding bribes, fudging records and fabricating signatures of grama sabha members. The memorandum observed that beneficiaries of various welfare schemes were selected arbitrarily without the consent of the sabha. It also alleged that there were no attempts to address many pressing problems in the ward such as drinking water scarcity.

The memorandum expressed strong protest over the panchayat's decision to appoint a sub-committee to look into the demand for a special meeting. It said the panchayat committee had failed to ensure people's involvement in the activities of the grama sabha.

The grama sabha was not represented in any of the working groups or committees involved in the preparation, implementation and monitoring of Plan schemes. The minutes, performance reports and income-expenditure statements of the panchayat and ward were not presented in the sabha and the projects were not subjected to social audit, it observed.

The memorandum alleged that not even 10 per cent of the members were present at most of the grama sabha meetings. "The beneficiary list is merely read out at these meetings. Even the unanimous decisions adopted by the panchayats are not shown in the minutes," it said.

The memorandum accused the panchayat president of trying to stifle the plea for a special meeting to discuss the no-confidence motion against the ward member. On January 16, the panchayat had appointed a sub-committee to look into the demand, following an allegation that 14 gram sabha members were misled into signing the plea. Panchayat president G. Sarika said a final decision would be taken only after receiving the report of the sub-committee.

A meeting of the grama sabha members on Monday flayed the panchayat decision. It urged the panchayat president to convene a special meeting of the grama sabha at Kazhuvoor Government LP School on February 11. It warned that the panchayat would be bound to implement the decision of the grama sabha if it turned a deaf ear to the demand for a special meeting.

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