BENGALURU: In an effort to end husbands acting as “proxy” for their elected wives in the local bodies, the State government has issued orders banning heads of the panchayats and municipalities from carrying official files to their homes.
According to sources in the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, a circular has been issued to the executive officers in the taluk panchayats and Chief Executive Officers in the zilla panchayats following intervention of husbands of elected women members in the Ballari City Corporation (BCC) during the monthly meeting.
In the past, women members in Bidar Zilla Panchayat had passed a resolution to allow their husbands to participate in the official meetings after the then Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Ujjwal Kumar Ghosh refused to entertain them.
“To prevent recurring of such events, fresh directives have been issued,” a senior official in the department told Express.
As per the directives, the EOs and CEOs have been directed to ensure that the presidents and vice-presidents of the local bodies do not carry official files to their homes.
“The directives have been issued to prevent misuse of power by the husbands or any male member of the family of the elected women of any local body,” the officer said.
The State government also warned the EOs and CEOs that they would be held responsible for any violation in the matter.
While stating that the incidents of intervention of father or husband on behalf of the elected chief have drastically reduced after issuing orders banning the entry of any family member to the meeting halls,
a fresh directive has been issued to ensure the delivery of governance from the legitimate members only, he said.