Centre withholds Rs 1,279 crore from Karnataka for not holding Zilla, Taluk Panchayat polls

New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday informed the Lok Sabha that it has withheld the release of Rs 1,279 crore to Karnataka under the 15th Finance Commission for not holding Zilla and Taluk Panchayat polls.

"As per the Ministry of Finance Operational Guidelines dated 14.07.2021, the timely conduct of elections to Panchayati Raj Institutions is one of the stipulated criteria for the release of funds to the different tiers of Panchayats. However, owing to the non-conduct of elections since 2020-21 by the Karnataka Government for Zilla and Panchayats, the funds pertaining to these tiers have been withheld," Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh said in his written reply.

Answering Bengaluru Rural BJP Lok Sabha member C N Manjunath, the Minister said that from 2020-21 to 2024-25, total grants released under the Fifteenth Finance Commission to Karnataka for rural local bodies were Rs 11,905.89 crore against the recommended Rs 13,184 crore. A total of Rs 1,279 crore has been withheld for not holding elections, he said.

Since 2020-21, Karnataka has not held polls to Zilla and Taluk Panchayats and has appointed administrators instead. The Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj has also sent advisories to the state requesting it to hold timely elections to Panchayati Raj bodies, he said.