Representative image of a gram panchayat building.
Credit: DH File Photo
The rural development and panchayat raj department is contemplating to bring gram panchayat members, presidents along with panchayat development officers (PDOs) under the legal ambit to prosecute them for mismanagement of funds in the respective panchayats.
After a high-level meeting of officials recently, the ministry formulated guidelines and sought opinions from the chief executive officers of zilla panchayats in this regard.
At present, there are no rules, guidelines or laws to book cases against
members and presidents in the event of financial misappropriation.
The department has sought a detailed report from the CEOs on how these members or presidents are responsible for possible mismanagement of funds.
It has thought of coming up with this idea based on the amendment made to Karnataka Grama Swaraj and Panchayat Raj Act, 2006, that gave powers to the president to be the joint signatory to all financial statements prepared by the respective panchayat.
All these years, only either PDO/panchayat secretary used to be punished under the law, while presidents and members used to get away without legal action, despite being joint signatories.
The guidelines have come after the Karnataka State Panchayat Development Officers Welfare Association had submitted a memorandum in May this year to the government, seeking that the GP members and presidents (joint signatories) be made equally responsible (along with PDOs) in all cases of mismanagement of funds.