Another blow to nine rebel MLAs, LAD funds withheld

DEHRADUN: Fighting a battle, both in the High Court and the Supreme Court against their disqualification by Assembly Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal, the nine Congress MLAs have been served another blow as their MLALAD funds for the new financial year have been withheld.

Neena Sharma

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 5

Fighting a battle, both in the High Court and the Supreme Court against their disqualification by Assembly Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal, the nine Congress MLAs have been served another blow as their MLALAD funds for the new financial year have been withheld.

The Department of Rural Development has released Rs 1 crore, the first installment of the MLA Local Area Development (MLALAD) funds for 2016 for 62 MLAs. After the disqualification of the nine MLAs, the 71-member Uttarakhand Assembly has been reduced to 62 members.

The MLAs receive Rs 2.75 crore every year, in two installments.

The third Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly will complete its full five year-term in 2016, after which elections are due in 2017. Almost at the fag end of their tenure, the MLAS usually put the allocated funds into maximum use in order to reap benefits in the elections.

But, for the nine MLAs, the disqualification and withholding of funds could not have come at a worse time.

“This is the time to utilise the funds, before the state gets into an election mode and the model code of conduct comes in the way. Out of the nine MLAS, the ones who have been easy on money and have taken up development works in their constituencies from day one would be better served. While those who tend to allow the funds lie idle with the hope that these would be utilised in the last year of their tenure should be a worried lot,” said Mohan Singh Gaonwasi, a former MLA.

The nine MLAs, barring Umesh Sharma, who was elected from Raipur Assembly segment, most of them have spent only meager sums from their MLALAD funds.

As the Uttarakhand Assembly is suspended, the MLAs continue to receive their salaries, perks and also the MLALAD funds. However, soon after the nine MLAs were disqualified, the Speaker had dispatched the information to the Election Commission and the departments concerned.

As the disqualification issue is under judicial review, so far, the Election Commission has not declared the nine seats vacant.