New Delhi, February 16
The MPs Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme over which questions were raised recently after some members were shown taking bribe from the contractors executing projects under it in a sting operation, came in for close scrutiny of the Supreme Court today even as the government admitted certain “flaws” in it needing correction.

During the day-long hearing, Additional Solicitor-General (ASG) Mohan Prasaran, appearing for the Centre, admitted that there were some flaws in the scheme, but the same could be bridged by improving upon it.

But at this stage, a Bench of Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal, Mr Justice C.K. Thakker and Mr Justice P.K. Balasubramanyan, which opened arguments on a bunch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the scheme, told the ASG that it was only examining its validity.

During the very outset of the hearing, counsel for one of the petitioner cited the recent revelation that Election Commissioner Navin Chawla also had got funds worth Rs 85 lakh from several MPs for two trusts run by his family.

The court put certain probing questions to the ASG about the transparency of the scheme and lack of accountability of MPs to spend the money.