HC stays disbursal of additional funds to MLAs for area development
19 Dec, 2013A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Bombay High Court against a state government project for slum area development, under which additional grant of Rs. 6 crore was to be provided to ruling party legislators and Rs. 2 crore to MLAs (Members of Legislative Assembly) of opposition parties.
The PIL also mentioned the reply to an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act which showed that ruling party members were to get Rs. 149 crore as additional grant while only Rs. 40.60 crore was to be disbursed to non-ruling party MLAs.
During the hearing of the PIL, the state attorney said that the project is not in implementation stage rather it is only a proposal which is yet to be finalised. The High Court has adjourned the matter for future hearing and has issued notices to the respondents, including the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and the slum authorities, who were absent in the court during the hearing.
Meanwhile, the court has put a stay on the disbursal of additional funds of around Rs. 190 crore till the proposal is finalized.