Developmental Funds To Not Be Allocated To MLAs Till Further Orders: Bombay HC

The Bombay High Court bench of Justices GS Kulkarni and RN Laddha on Thursday passed the order that the developmental funds for the year 2022-23 are not be disbursed among the MLAs by the Maharashtra Government till further orders in the case a petition was filed by the Uddhav Thackeray Group MLA. 

The petition prayed for the funds to be allocated to the MLAs without any unfairness with regards to the political parties they belong to.

A coordinate bench of the high court had earlier asked the ASG to file their reply affidavit in three weeks but he submitted in the recent hearing that the reply is not ready yet. The bench was informed by counsel on behalf of petitioner that since the last hearing large amount of funds have been disbursed under the funds allocated to the members of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. It has also ben contended that there is gross discrimination in allocation of funds under the Maharashtra Local Development Funds allocated to MLAs being disbursed to the district planning commission by the State of Maharashtra.

The bench directed the state government to place on record in its reply affidavit about how much amounts have been disbursed from 17 September 2023 till date. The bench also noted that the amounts which have not been disbursed for the year should not be disbursed till further orders.