Nominated councillors can be part of MC panels, sans voting rights

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 18

In a major relief to nominated councillors, UT Administrator and Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore has allowed them to be members of various sub-committees of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation. Badnore has also approved the formation of ward committees.

Sources said while approving recommendations of Mayor Davesh Moudgil for sub-committees, the Administration has made it clear that the nominated councillors will not have voting rights.

The development is important as the Chandigarh Administration had earlier dismissed their demand for inclusion into various sub-committees of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation. Later, Mayor Davesh Moudgil had sought legal opinion from Satya Pal Jain, former MP and Additional Solicitor General of India.

He had stated that the nominated councillors could become members, chairpersons and vice chairpersons of various civic body panels.

Nominated councillors were denied the voting right during the mayoral poll on January 9.

Notably, Mayor Davesh Moudgil had written to the UT Administration to appoint nominated councillors to Municipal Corporation committees.