Biratnagar, October 21

Biratnagar Metropolitan City has violated the law on benefits and perks for office bearers and members of local levels formulated by Province 1 government.

Article 227 of the constitution has provisioned that perks and facilities for office bearers and members of local levels will be in accordance with laws drafted by the provincial government. The act drafted by Province 1 government has it that office bearers and people’s representatives of local levels will not receive salary. Surprisingly, office bearers and people’s representatives at Biratnagar Metropolis are receiving monthly salary.

The act drafted by Province 1 government on perks and facilities for office bearers and members of rural municipalities and municipalities states that they can receive allowance under 11 different titles, including telephone, sanitation, internet, newspaper and monitoring. The act does not include salary. However, the metropolis is providing monthly salary and perks to people’s representatives.

Mayor Bhim Parajuli has been receiving Rs 33,000 monthly salary. The deputy mayor has been pocketing Rs 27,500 and ward chairs have each been receiving Rs 22,500 monthly salary respectively. In addition to salary, Mayor Parajuli has been pocketing Rs 25,000 as allowance. The metropolis has to spend more than 1.6 million rupees a month on salary and perks to people’s representatives.

Meanwhile, a writ was registered with Biratnagar High Court seeking to halt salary for office bearers and members of Biratnagar metropolis. Consumers’ rights activist Uttam Dhungel has filed the writ with the demand that the salary being provided to office bearers in violation of the act formulated by the Province government be annulled.

The court has issued a show cause notice to the metropolis. Breaching the act, the Fourth Municipal Assembly meeting of the metropolis had decided to provide Rs 10,000 each to office bearers as dress allowance four months ago. Dhungel said he had filed the writ as metropolis office bearers had received salary and perks arbitrarily.

Mayor Parajuli, however, claimed they had been receiving salary in accordance with the act. He denied that people’s representatives had received monthly salary.