MC mahasangh opposes proposed Municipal Act

Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, January 22

The Nagar Nikay and Palika Mahasangh has opposed several clauses in the proposed Municipal Act being drafted by the state government that will be “detrimental to the working of local bodies”.

Manmohan Singh Mall, Mussoorie Municipal Council president and president of the mahasangh, told mediapersons at Mussoorie today that the clause of recalling presidents of municipal councils through a voice vote by members proposed in the Act was against the spirit of democracy.

He said if such a clause was enacted it would result in a complex situation and put elected members under unnecessary pressure. Hence, it should not be included the Act.

Manmohan commended the efforts of the government in taking a step forward towards formulating a Municipal Act for the state.

He said as most of the municipal councils were in hill districts there was a need to make a separate Act for these as well as for municipal corporations. He added the clause on removal of ward members and MC presidents should be deleted as only people who had elected them had the right to remove them, that too electorally.

Manmohan said under the new Act proposed by the state Urban Development Department the number of ward members in a municipal council would be fixed to around five while in a nagar panchayat it would be three and in municipal corporations the number would be 60, which was against the spirit of the the Constitution of the country.

He added following opposition the government had agreed to invite suggestions from elected representatives of local bodies before introducing the new Municipal Act.