The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : BMP Council to set up protocol panel

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 12, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

BMP Council to set up protocol panel

Afshan Yasmeen

Decision follows complaints by corporators on violation of tradition

BANGALORE: At a Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) function in Shivajinagar last year, senior members of the BMP Council raised a ruckus when their names were not on the plaque.

At another function in Chamarajpet, the area corporator was upset because an important government building in her ward was inaugurated in her absence. Moreover, the plaque installed on the building did not have her name.

That is not all. After the Chamarajpet byelection, activists from the winning party removed the old plaque and put up a new one in its place.

This time the corporator's name was included. But the former area MLA's name was removed.

All such "protocol" violations have worried corporators who feel their political career depends on their names being in the public eye.

To put an end to such "improper practices" and to suggest the corporators' chain of command that should be compulsorily followed by officials while organising functions and other day-to-day affairs of the civic body, the BMP Council has now decided to set up a protocol committee.

Following a written complaint from the Opposition Janata Dal (Secular) leader in the BMP Council B.R. Nanjundappa, Mayor R. Narayanaswamy directed BMP Commissioner K. Jothiramalingam to set up the committee, sources said.

"The subject pertaining to the formation of the committee was scheduled to be tabled in the council on July 30. But it could not be taken up because the meeting was adjourned. It will be approved this month," the sources said.

They pointed out that after the Mayor's direction, the commissioner studied the circulars issued by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) with regard to maintenance of protocol for MPs, MLAs and MLCs.

When contacted, the Mayor told The Hindu that the committee would recommend the line of hierarchy among corporators, which would be compulsorily followed by officials on all invitations of functions organised by the BMP, on plaques and even while addressing them during the programmes.

"Though it is a tradition to include names of senior members on invitations and plaques, it has never been a hard and fast rule. That's why our members feel they never get `prominence' even in functions organised by the palike. Once a set of rules is framed, our members will not get a chance to complain," he said.

"This protocol will also be maintained during the visit of prominent personalities to the city. It is a practice for the Mayor and Deputy Mayor to welcome and see off the personalities at the airport. At times when both of them are not available, the next member in the line of hierarchy will substitute them," he added.

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