‘They Aren’t School Children’: RTI Activist Mulls Legal Action Over Free Food For Karnataka MLAs

Belagavi: Questioning the free food given to the members of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly during the session, an RTI activist from Belagavi, on Sunday, said he would sue the speaker and the state government, unless the expenses are refunded to the treasury.

Speaking to ETV Bharat, RTI activist Bhimappa Gadada said that there are no provisions in the law to provide free food for MLAs and ministers. “I don't know why this system has been implemented only in Karnataka. They also take allowances. It is not right to provide free food and breakfast. Let them take one of the two. Otherwise, I will fight against the state government," he said.

"During the sessions held in Bengaluru in February and July 2024, the government provided free meals and recliner chairs to ministers and members. For this, the government has spent more than Rs 35 lakh on various hotels and the money spent on meals and breakfast of ministers and members should be refunded to the government from the personal savings account of Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader,” the RTI activist added.

Bhimappa said that he had written to the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, Law Minister and senior government officials with documents requesting to take action. Meanwhile, the Legislative Assembly Secretariat replied in writing to the RTI activist that there is no provision in the rules for the government to provide free meals, tea and coffee to members participating in the proceedings during the session held in Bengaluru.

“Similarly, neither during the sessions of the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, nor in the Assemblies and Legislative Councils of any state in the country, breakfast, tea and coffee and cold drinks, nor recliner chairs are provided to members during the sessions,” the RTI activist quoted the secretariat’s response.

He further said that he would file a case in court if no action is taken to recover this money from the speaker. “It is against the intention of the Constitution that the Speaker has taken such a decision without calling a 'special board' meeting, " Bhimappa added.

"The MLAs are not school children who need to be provided free meals, tea and coffee by the government in order to increase the attendance in the House. In return, the MLAs who do not participate in the proceedings of the House for the entire day should not be given the salaries, allowances and other facilities provided by the government. Also, strict rules should be made to make such MLAs pay this amount of money to the government per day as a penalty," he said.

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