One year, no general body meeting

On June 25, 2010, the new president and vice-president of Hirebandadi GP near Uppinangady took charge. It is one year now, but the GP has not yet seen general body meetings.

Neither have discussions on development works held nor have any government schemes implemented. All in all the members participation in development process and implementation of development work here has been ‘zero’ over last one year.

During the election of the president and the vice-president, ‘operation hand’ was executed cleverly by the members. From here began the politics of vengeance, which has strangled development work in the GP.

There are 13 members in this GP, of which eight are BJP supported members and five Congress backed members. During the election BJP members went for cross voting due to which the Congress came to power. BJP, which was confident of coming to power with majority had to lose its face. Even after one year, the prestige issue of the members is killing the GP slowly.

Quorum

After the president and the vice- president were elected, five meeting were called between July 12 to October 8, 2010. Since seven members remained absent to the meeting constantly, the meeting could not be held due to quorum problem.

Noticing the situation Zilla Panchayat CEO had asked the GP President an explanation. Puttur Executive Officer had written to the Government that the development works are suffering in the GP due to differences among the members. During the ZP meeting, it was discussed to dissolve Hirebandadi Panchayat.

Notice from the CEO asked the GP an explanation as to why the administrative mechanism has gone kaput and why seven members of the GP have been remaining absent through out.

Replying to the notice President Geetha Dasaramoole said that she had called for the meeting as per rules. The seven members have been remaining absent for the meetings with political agenda. However, these members have been taking the honourarium from the GP regularly. She informed that the members who are active in GP are of the opinion that the membership of these members who have remained absent for the meetings must be cancelled and election must be held for those seven posts.

According to the Panchayat Raj Act 1993, if any member remains absent for more than three meetings, his/ her membership can be cancelled.

Absentees

One of the absentee members Malathi Harinarayan said that she had come to power with support from BJP. When two members went for cross voting the party leaders asked the BJP backed members to remain absent for general body meetings so that the Panchayat gets dissolved in few months.

“We are following the party leaders instructions,” she said.Now, one has to wait and watch as to what decision, Zilla Panchayat will take in this issue.