EMAIL TO THE EDITOR

The Union Law Ministry rejecting the much-desired and long-awaited recommendation of the Election Commission to impose a ban on defaulters of government dues like of house rent, electricity and telephone is indeed regrettable.

An RTI response had revealed that there have been parliamentarians who passed away leaving heavy dues of millions of Rupees using facilities beyond the free limit. It is shame on Indian democracy that even persons donning high posts are defaulters having to pay dues for use of Indian Air Force aircraft for non-official purposes like also poll campaign.

Since either the earlier or now the present government is willing to implement much-needed poll-reform to impose ban on defaulters of government-dues, Supreme Court should suo motto intervene for its implementation.

The rule should be auto deduction of dues from salaries of parliamentarians and the remainder from their pensions.

Defaulters, even if they were Prime Ministers, should not be allowed to contest any election and should be denied pensions and other entitlements till the dues are cleared.

AUTHOR : SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL ,
RTI Consultant , New Delhi

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author’s own