MLCs changed address? Officials say not aware

Bengaluru: The five Congress and two JDS MLCs besides the independent member of the Legislative Council, who allegedly drew travel/dearness allowances claiming to be arriving from out of town to the city despite being listed as voters in Bengaluru,  could have some explaining to do  with the BBMP Commissioner confirming that they had given local addresses to vote in the Mayoral elections last year.

Even more so as sources in the Legislative Council secretariat reveal that it has not received any letter from the MLCs concerned to inform it of a change in their residential addresses and they have been getting all  the perks and allowances due to those travelling to the city from outside it in accordance with the rules of the Election Commission of India and  the gazette notification issued.

With the BJP  now approaching the Raj Bhavan to seek action against the MLCs for the "fraud" committed,  one of its MLCs from Dakshina Kannada argues that it is the duty of members to keep the Council secretariat informed about any change of address.

 "The law allows a MLC to claim travel and dearness allowances for attending  Council sessions in Bengaluru or Belagavi and for committee meetings only if he or she is coming from out of town. I  gave my village address when I was first elected, but later changed it to Mangaluru and since then have been claiming TA/DA to go to Bengaluru from here," he said.

Former advocate general, B V Acharya , when contacted, explained that  it would amount to malpractice if the MLCs had claimed TA/DA from the place mentioned in their ECI certificate despite changing their residence. "They should have got their names deleted from the  voters' list in their respective city/town/village once they  became voters in Bengaluru. But the law is not clear on what action can be taken against them for such an omission.  The chairman of the Legislative Council can however, look into the matter," he added.