Define clear-cut role of MLAs in Punjab: AAP rebel Kanwar Sandhu to Amarinder

Kharar MLA Kanwar Sandhu, who was suspended from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), demanded redefining of the roles and responsibilities of the legislators in Punjab, making them a part and parcel of the administrative machinery and hierarchy in their constituencies to ensure compliance by officers.

In a letter to chief minister Amarinder Singh, Sandhu has made a number of suggestions, including setting up of ‘halqa vikas committees’ to be headed by the MLA concerned with a local area development grant.

A copy of the letter has also been sent to assembly speaker Rana KP Singh and parliamentary affairs minister Brahm Mohindra, demanding that the issue be discussed in the Vidhan Sabha. He is also circulating copies of the letter to all 117 MLAs for a debate.

Sandhu said the constitutional role of MLAs to enact laws and hold governments accountable had been negated by the short duration of the legislative sessions. Last year, the assembly had only 12-13 sittings. This, according to him, was in sharp contrast to states such as Kerala, which held 151 sittings spread over five sessions in 2017.

“The common misconception was that an MLA was responsible for construction of roads, sewage treatment, and supply of water and electricity, which actually fell within the ambit of the local bodies like municipalities and gram panchayats. In the absence of any clear-cut role and responsibility, the MLAs primary task has been reduced to attending bhogs,” he said.

He said unlike the MLAs of some states, legislators in Punjab had neither an MLA Local Area Development (LAD) fund nor provision of a petty grant.

Like MP LAD fund of ₹5 crore annually, some states had at their own level started having an annual MLA LAD fund ranging from ₹1 crore to ₹3 crore, he said.

In the absence of any clear-cut role and responsibility, the MLAs primary task has been reduced to attending bhogs.

KANWAR SANDHU, Kharar MLA