Enforce Municipality Act to curb corruption in local bodies: Lokayukta tells UP govt

“Urban local bodies in UP are being run in most undemocratic and arbitrary manner and the elected members of the board have no say in the affairs of the municipalities. The elected heads of the municipal bodies use the budget arbitrarily without getting it approved from the board. Common people and the members of the elected board remain in dark about the expenditure,” said Mehrotra, adding “the most popular heads of expenditure are installation of high mast lights, fountains at the city square and repair and construction of roads”.

Citing an instance of the arbitrary conduct of the head of the municipal body, Mehrotra said, “BSP MP Kausar Jahan, also the chairperson of Laharpur nagarpalika parishad in Sitapur district, approved installation of two fountains in Laharpur, costing Rs 74 lakh. Now, both the fountains are non-functional for lack of power and water. When I visited the town, the fountains were being run through generators and the justification given for setting up fountains was beautification of the town.”

“For urban local bodies, the UP government is doing everything except enforcing the existing laws to curb corruption. The government is enforcing all sorts of rules and regulations for urban local bodies like conducting next elections for local bodies without election symbols of the political parties. But it has forgotten to ask the urban local bodies to conduct their affairs as per the UP Municipalities Act,” said the Lokayukta.

 “As per the Section 86 of the Act, it is mandatory for the chairman of the elected board to hold at least one meeting of the board every month. The state government should direct all urban local bodies to immediately pass a resolution for holding at least one meeting of the board every month,” said Mehrotra.

At present, board meetings are rarely held and the funds are used secretly. The contracts are awarded to chairman’s confidants leading to complaints of corruption by the members of the board,” said Mehrotra, adding “all the matters relating to the development expenditure and award of contracts should be debated in the meeting of the board to ensure transparency in administration”.

“The municipal bodies are flouting the law with impunity. Section 96 of the UP Municipality Act says the chairman of the nagarpalika panchayat or town area can spend Rs 15,000 without approval of the board and in case of nagarpalika parishad, the limit is Rs 50,000,” said Mehrotra.

He added, “In most cases inquired by my office, the chairman did not obtain the approval of the budget from the board but later called for obtaining the post-facto approval of the expenditure.”

He said, “The complaints occur only when there is clash among the elected members and the chairman over share in the spoils.”

The Lokayukta in its recent reports submitted to the state government has indicted chairpersons of three nagarpalika parishads for indulging in corrupt practices. 

As many as four adverse reports have been submitted by the Lokayukta against BSP MP from Sitapur, Kausar Jahan, who also heads the Laharpur nagarpalika parishad.

The others who have been indicted are Geeta Devi, the chairperson of Etah nagarpalika parishad and Pushpa Sharma, the chairperson of Vrindavan nagarpalika parishad in Mathura district.

The Lokayukta had submitted adverse reports to state government against chairmen of 10 municipal bodies in 2009. The Lokayukta is presently conducting investigation in seven cases.