Odisha ward members seek High Court intervention for monthly salaries.

Source – newindianexpress.com

CUTTACK: Three ward members of different gram panchayats in Keonjhar district have sought intervention of the Orissa High Court for a fixed monthly remuneration of Rs 5000 for such public representatives in the State.

In a petition filed on Monday, they have lamented that ward members are being presently paid just Rs 240 per sitting of their respective panchayats towards allowance.

“As one meeting is held every month at panchayat level, the ward members get a paltry Rs 240 per month in this way,” the petitioners rued.

“While the elected MLAs and MPs are getting allowances, facilities and other benefits from the Government during their tenure as well as after tenure, ward members who are elected representatives at the gram panchayat level are deprived of any such facilities,” the petition stated seeking the Court’s intervention for resolving the alleged discrimination.

Chittaranjan Mahanta, Prasanna Kumar Das and Ratnakar Mahanta, ward members of Naranpur, Nelunga and Maidankela panchayats respectively, filed the petition.

Earlier, they had submitted a representation to the Secretary of State Election Commission, Odisha on August 5, 2019 over the demand.

The representation was forwarded to the Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Panchayati Raj department on August 9, 2019. “But till now no decision has been taken on this representation by the department,” the petition stated.