The Hindu : New Delhi News : No code of conduct for Councillors

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 18, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

No code of conduct for Councillors

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, AUG. 17. Despite the existence of a Code of Conduct Committee for Councillors in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for the past several years, no such policy has been evolved by the civic body.

Considered as "ceremonial'' by the elected representatives, the Committee has met only five times since 2000 and that too only once a year to elect its chairman.

The past three meetings were held on October 16, 2001, May 14, 2002, May 13, 2003, and June 3, 2004. The former Deputy Mayor, Panna Lal Khairwal, now heads the Committee for past two terms.

While the Leader of House, Satbir Singh, claimed that the code of conduct for elected representatives in the MCD would be ready by Tuesday, Mr. Khairwal said the Committee would be meeting after the All India Congress Committee session on August 21 to confirm the minutes of the last meeting.

He said the Committee had taken certain decisions with regard to formulating a code of conduct for Councillors. Mr. Khairwal said he was in favour of imposing monetary fine ranging from Rs. 10 to Rs. 5,000 and suspension of a Councillor from the House from between 40 to 60 days depending on the violation of code of conduct. "We would be recommending such penal actions," he said.

Mr. Khairwal said the code of conduct would also take into account the complaints of harassment by municipal officials against the Councillors.

"Any such complaint should be submitted either to me, the Mayor, or the Leader of House," he said. "If found guilty, the Councillor would be suspended from House for 40 days or pay a penalty of Rs. 10 to Rs. 5,000,'' he added.

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