HC puts on hold special fund for MLAs

The Rs 237-cr fund was to provide basic amenities to slum-dwellers.

The Bombay High Court has restrained the state government from disbursing money to MLAs from a proposed special fund of Rs 237 crore to provide basic amenities to slum-dwellers. A PIL was filed by Shiv Sena MLA Ravindra Waikar in the matter.

A division bench headed by Justice S J Vajifdar gave the directive. The PIL alleged that ruling party MLAs were set to get more funds than Opposition MLAs. While the original petition also named Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan in the list of respondents,the petitioners lawyer Satish Borulkar told the court that Chavans name would be removed.

Government pleader Sandeep Shinde said money from the new fund,with a corpus of Rs 237 crore,is yet to be disbursed. The bench restrained the state from disbursing the fund money to the legislators till January 9,when the petition will be heard next.

In the PIL,Waikar alleged that the fund of Rs 237 crore is meant for providing amenities through Zopadpatti Sudhar Mandal (slum improvement committee). Of this,Rs 189.60 crore was earmarked for 2013-14. Calling it an unfair and unjust act,the petition alleges that the government has decided to allocate Rs 6 crore for the MLAs of the ruling parties,while the Opposition MLAs are to receive only

Rs 2 crore.

mumbai.newsline@expressindia.com

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