IE : Soon, rulees to make corporators mind their conduct : Nov 12,2007
Soon, rulees to make corporators mind their conduct
DHAVAL KULKARNI
MUMBAI, NOVEMBER 11
· A lady corporator flings a chair during the general body meeting of the Kalyan Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) when the National Anthem was in progress.
· Corporators use unparliamentary language while discussing a proposal during a committee meeting in the BMC.
SUCH unruly behaviour by corporators S may be a thing of the past if the government’s plan to disqualify the errant members comes through.
It is planning to include a provision in the acts governing the municipal corporations in the state on the lines of a section in the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayat and Industrial Townships Act, 1965, wherein an elected representative can be suspended from the membership of the house for disgraceful conduct.
The Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888, Bombay Provisional Municipal Corporation Act, 1949 and the Nagpur Municipal Corporation Act will have to be amended accordingly. Senior officials from the state Urban Development department however pointed out that the definition of disgraceful conduct depended on the circumstances and context. The advent of modern technology had given a new meaning and dimension to the issue; with the emergence of cyber crime and the use of SMS to harass or intimidate people.
Currently, no action can be taken in such cases due to the lack of such specific provisions; Senior officials however feel that the definition of disgraceful conduct depended on the circumstances and context
However, incidents like throwing objects in the civic house, running away with the Mayor’s mace, using abusive language, misbehaviour, conduct under the influence of alcohol and assaulting civic officials would be covered under the provision. Currently, no action can be taken in such cases in the municipal corporation due to the lack of such specific provisions.be ing in force in the municipal councils, there were very! few cases of elected representatives being suspended for such rowdy behaviour as ; such cases were difficult to – prove. However, if such ‘ charges are proved, the elected representatives concerned could be disqualified from continuing as councilors in the rest of their term and also be disqualified from contesting elections for the next five years.
In the local bodies currently covered by the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayat and Industrial Townships Act, the district collector can issue a show cause notice to members accused of such conduct. If he is satisfied that the conduct of the elected representative is a fit case for action, he can’ disqualify the concerned person, who can later appeal to the state government.
However, the joint committee of the state legislature before whom the issue was placed recently, proposed changes to the acts ‘, governing the municipal corporations, wherein the general body of the concerned municipal corporation will be given a one month period to decide on the disqualification case. The matter will later come to the state govern- ,
Publication : IE; Section : Mumbai; Pg : 3; Date : 12/11/07