Tightening its noose around corporators indulging in unauthorised constructions, the state has given the rights to commissioners to initiate action against them.
Tightening its noose around corporators indulging in unauthorised constructions, the state has given the rights to commissioners to initiate action against them. This means, if the commissioner finds any corporator, including the mayor, with more than two children or indulging in unauthorised construction, s/he could face disqualification for six years.
The state cabinet on Friday sanctioned the proposal of the requisite amendment in the municipal corporation act. The three acts, that govern 23 municipal corporations in the state, have provisions for the disqualification of corporators on certain grounds, but the powers lie with the general body. Since the body comprises of corporators, no action has ever been proposed by the body against their peers.
The commissioner so far had the power to refer the case of disqualification to the civil court only after the general body passed a resolution in this respect. Even after the corporators were found to have more than two children or even if they indulged in corrupt practices, unauthorised construction or indulgence in the activity with conflict of interest, no action was taken against them. Earlier, the state government had to intervene and impose its powers for the disqualification of corporators in Pune even after sufficient complaints were registered against them.
However, while allotting more powers to commissioners, the government has scrapped the powers to the court and has taken them upon itself. Now, the commissioner will refer the disqualifications, based on complaints received or media reports, to the urban development minister. The corporators will have the liberty of moving the high court in appeal.
There was scepticism expressed about vindictive acts by the ruling parties in the government against corporators from opposition parties.
Likewise, the government has taken powers to itself of suspension of the proposals that are not in the financial interests of the corporations and also which are against the large public interest.
The state had powers to scrap the decisions of the corporations that were illegal or ultra vires in nature. The new amendments approved by the state empower it further.
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