Ramesh Kumar favours state funding of polls
Ramesh Kumar had suggested that govt fund the election expenditure of taluk and gram panchayat members.
Bengaluru: Former Speaker and senior Congress leader K.R. Ramesh Kumar should be happy that a majority of the recommendations made by him to improve the functioning of panchayat raj institutions in Karnataka, have got the nod from the government. But he is sore that two important recommendations have been neglected.
Mr Ramesh Kumar had suggested that the government fund the election expenditure of taluk and gram panchayat members. Another recommendation pertained to giving the right of removing a member to the Election Commission instead of retaining the power with the government.
The veteran Congress leader told DC that the government lost an opportunity to hold gram and taluk panchayat polls without making candidates splurge money. His panel had suggested that the department of rural development and panchayat raj fix a date, time and venue for all gram panchayats and invite the candidates to come and explain their vision for the next five years. By doing this, candidates would not be forced to spend any money on electioneering which would prevent them from becoming corrupt. They need not engage in door-to-door campaigns if the public campaign was organised by the government itself. The election process would also be completed in ten days, he explained.
He felt the government should not have rejected the recommendation on giving the EC the power to remove panchayat members.
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