Observing that prima facie there was something wrong, the Bombay high court on Thursday stayed allocation of “Maharashtra Local Development Funds” which are meant for providing basic amenities and for development of basic infrastructure in the Mumbai city.
A bench of Justice Girish Kulkarni and RN Laddha granted interim stay on the allocation of funds for Mumbai city till the next date of hearing. The funds for the financial year 2023-24 were sanctioned last month by the BJP-Shiv Sena government. The HC was hearing a petition filed by Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Ravindra Waikar from Jogeshwari East constituency alleging discrimination on the part of the Maharashtra government in allocating “Maharashtra Local Development Funds.”
About funds allocated to MLAs
According to the plea, the government allocates funds under different heads – re-allocation of slum dwellers and their rehabilitation; development of basic infrastructure in the area of municipal corporation; and urban development in slums other than slums of backward classes. The allocation of this fund is equal for every elected representative, MLA and Member of Legislative Council.
The petition, filed through advocate Satish Borulkar, alleged that the present government allocated funds with “huge discrimination, showing complete favouritism for their MLAs - BJP, Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena and Republican Party of India (RPI), while a paltry amount of funds were allocated to other MLAs belonging to other political parties.”
It further contended that the basic objective of providing civic amenities to the slum dwellers in Mumbai is lost sight of because of the “malafide action on the part of the respondents”.
Ruling party MLAs were allocated large amounts of fund compared to opposition, says plea
Under the head re-allocation of slum dwellers and their rehabilitation, an amount of Rs 11,420.44 lakh was allocated for the year 2022-23 for MLAs, MLCs and MPs. However, the “constituencies represented by the ruling party, BJP and Shiv Sena and RPI were allocated large amounts of funds,” as against the constituencies represented by MLAs and MLCs of the opposition party.
For the year 2022-23, the amount allocated for urban development in slums other than slums of backward classes was Rs26,687.2 lakh and for development of basic infrastructure in the area of municipal corporation was Rs7,000 lakh.
The plea has sought that the government be directed to allocate funds for providing basic amenities in the slums within the city of Mumbai and suburbs “in equal portions without discrimination” amongst members of Legislative Assembly on the basis of political parties they represent.
Further, Waikar has sought that the high court quash the allocation of funds made by the government in their 2022-23 plan. Pending hearing, he has sought stay on implementation, execution and disbursement of funds.
