Citizens want nodal officers in place of DQ'd MLAs

The disqualification of 17 rebel MLAs has prompted citizens to ask the government for alternatives to address grievances and ensure services to the constituencies.

Members of the Ramamurthy Nagar Welfare Association from KR Puram constituency have written to the chief minister, governor, chief secretary and additional chief secretary, urging them to appoint nodal officers in the place of their MLAs. “It is the government’s duty to appoint a temporary substitute,” said A V Sham Rao, president, Ramamurthy Nagar Welfare Association. “An MLA represents thousands of people (in his constituency) and addresses their grievances. So, we have asked for a nodal officer in the place of every disqualified representative.”

Over a telephonic conversation with M N Venkatachaliah, former chief justice of India, Rao was told that this was the first time that citizens have put forth such a proposal before a government.

The Speaker had disqualified 14 MLAs from the Congress and three from JD(S). The representatives have challenged the disqualification in the Supreme Court and are waiting its decision.

“There are certain issues in the constituency that only the MLA can solve,” Rao said. “Corporators and BBMP officials dodge the problems brought to their notice by the citizens, citing various reasons. Civic agencies only listen to the MLAs. Not having an important person like an MLA is a huge burden and a loss for the citizens.”

Most corporators and RWAs said nothing much had changed since the MLAs had quit, though some of them felt their representatives could have solved the pressing issues while in office.