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Local body members in Kerala facing the axe

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: While local self-government institutions are busy implementing the Eleventh Plan projects, complaints have been raised about the laxity of the elected members in organising grama sabhas as per the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act.

As many as 31 grama panchayat members and one councillor of the Kochi corporation are facing trial at the State Election Commission for their lapses in convening the sabhas. Local Administration Department sources said almost 80 per cent of the elected members in the 999 grama panchayats, 53 municipalities and five corporations were facing the threat of disqualification for their laxity in convening the sabhas once in three months. Taking a cue from 32 voters who had approached the commission, if others too demanded action on similar grounds, all such members would be liable for disqualification. The latest amendment to the Act had made the ward member responsible for conducting the meeting.

Compared to the grama panchayats, corporations and municipalities had the worst track record in periodically bringing together the voters in each ward. This was mainly due to lack of public awareness about the powers delegated to the voters and also the general diffidence in attending such meetings. While the voters in the rural areas considered the sabha as a forum for securing maximum benefits, it did not figure in the priority of those in the corporation and municipal limits. This diffidence prompts the members to either conduct the meetings in a ritualistic manner or prepare bogus minutes to escape the punitive measures prescribed by the Act. Finally, it went against the spirit of decentralisation of powers, sources said. As per the original Act, the grama sabhas were required to meet at least twice a year. Fixing the date, time and venue of the meeting was the responsibility of the president.

He also had to finalise the schedule in consultation with the ward member, who is also the convener. Following an amendment to the Act which came into force on March 24, 1999, the meetings were required to be held once in three months. Another amendment made on August 24, 2005, made the member responsible for fixing the schedule in consultation with the president.

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