Editorial
HC's momentous verdict
Isn't it an indictment on how the local govt works?
AS the fuller meaning of the High Court verdict declaring Gram Sarkar Act 2003 'illegal and unconstitutional', pending a likely appeal from government to the Supreme Court, settles into public consciousness, most people wonder whether in the name of strengthening the local government system it has not been enormously weakened so far. There are clear-cut constitutional dictates for setting up representative self-governing local government institutions through which participatory democracy would function at the grassroots upwards to connect with the democratic polity at the national level in a mutually reinforcing symbiotic relationship. As though in recognition of the constitutional obligation, the major political parties had made pledges in their election manifestoes to abide by them which they have reneged. Whilst autocratic governments had fallen for exploiting the local government option to strengthen their foothold on power through potted plants, an elected government, with a two-thirds majority, could legislate at will for 'reforming' the system in a self-serving manner that practically involved adding parallel non-elected bodies to the structure. To put it in perspective, when gram sarkars got established in their second incarnation some two years ago following the enactment of a law in this regard, newspapers were rife with reports that its office-bearers were largely drawn from ruling party supporters and activists courtesy the nominations by nirbahi officers. The imposition of a non-elected body like gram sarkar on the duly elected Union Parishad weakened the UP instead of, what the government claims, aiding or assisting it. As a matter of fact, the induction of gram sarkars conflicted with the working of the UPs. It threw up a class of individuals who soon went for exploitation of local resources to the detriment of the greater interest and legitimate functioning of the elected union parishads. What is systemically more harmful is the fact that the gram sarkar neither works as part of the administration nor of the local government system. Overall, what's gnawing is the thought of the national waste involved in dismantling 39,786 gram sarkars set up till-date in the event the verdict holds after the appeal, if preferred by the government, is disposed of by the Supreme Court. Last year, Tk 120 crore had been allocated to gram sarkars and in the current budget they have had a lump allocation of Tk 60 crore. Surely, the government should have thought things through before taking the leap.
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