The Local Self-Government department (LSGD) has stipulated that the percentage of external experts in local body-level planning committees should not exceed 15% of the total members. The department has also said that it would be suitable for local bodies to look for experts from within the local body to occupy the committee vice chairperson’s post rather than an external expert.
Earlier this year, the department had issued an order forbidding local bodies from appointing the close relatives of elected representatives in the planning committees, after a few such cases came to notice. The order was issued following the recommendations of the Local Self-Government Ombudsman in a case related to the involvement of a relative of an elected representative in the decision-making process of the planning committee at a panchayat in Malappuram last year.
The local body-level planning committee has a total of twelve members, including the president (a post held by the elected president of the local body), vice president (experts who can aid the local body in project planning), members (standing committee chairpersons as well as experts) and convenor (secretary of the local body).
