7 Keralam wards face bypolls as civic representatives quit for secure jobs

…has not been an easy task, some of them say. “I was totally confused when I got the opportunity to go to Italy. I had applied for a visa in 2024. I accepted the offer to contest the election as the visa got delayed. I’m sad that I had to leave the responsibilities entrusted upon me by the people, but I didn’t have another option ,” said Raji Rajeev, who quit as the member of the Puliyanam South ward of Parakkadavu grama panchayat. She said the CPI(M) leadership allowed her to take the decision she felt was best for her life, though the reaction…

…quit as the member representing Blockpadi ward of Ranni Grama Panchayat in Pathanamthitta district after securing a part-time job through the Employment Exchange. She was in her fourth term as a panchayat member. “ I had always wanted to find a job, and I kept renewing my application at the Employment Exchange. My party leadership and the people in the ward supported my decision,” she said. Both Ms. Rajeev and Ms. Sanjayan said that the monthly honorarium of ₹8,000 for a panchayat member was hardly sufficient to meet their…

…Former Kochi Mayor M. Anilkumar, also the co-chair of the Kerala Urban Policy Commission, said the low payment had been making the job of an elected local body representative unattractive to many, including the youth. “ For long, even Corporation councillors have been quitting after securing jobs as many elected representatives find it difficult to run their day-to-day affairs with the honorarium they get. The Urban Commission had recommended increasing the amount considerably,” he said. Soumini Jain, another former Kochi Mayor, meanwhile, felt it was wrong to relinquish the responsibilities of an elected representative…

…it was wrong to relinquish the responsibilities of an elected representative midway for better income. “Once you enter electoral politics, you should be totally committed to it and aware of what you are going to do. Leaving the people’s mandate midway and causing an unnecessary bypoll is not the right thing to do ,” she said. She, however, stressed that the honorarium being paid was so low that increasing it was necessary to curb corruption. Of the remaining 31 wards going to bypoll, 15 fell vacant following the death of sitting…