The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : `Memo' from Deputy Mayor questions convening of meet

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 16, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

`Memo' from Deputy Mayor questions convening of meet

Staff Reporter

Letter, purportedly from R. Thiagarajan, asks Commissioner to withdraw circular

CHENNAI: The Chennai Corporation Commissioner, M.P. Vijayakumar, has received a memorandum purportedly from Deputy Mayor R. Thiagarajan directing the convening of the civic Council meeting on November 28 at 10 a.m.

The memo reached the Commissioner's office on Tuesday after Commissioner M.P. Vijayakumar issued a directive on Monday asking members to attend the council meeting on November 21.

Mr. Thiagarajan's memo directed the Commissioner "to withdraw the circular regarding the meeting date with immediate effect unless ... action in accordance with law will have to be taken on such failure."

It further states that the Commissioner's decision to convene the meeting was a "grave illegality and a clear violation of the provisions of the Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act 1919."

It noted that under Schedule-II of the Act, read with Section 31 of the Act, the power to convene a meeting solely rested with the Mayor and by virtue of operation of Section 38-A of the same Act, the functions of the Mayor devolve upon the Deputy Mayor.

"The duties assigned to the Mayor or Deputy Mayor can be performed by the Commissioner only if the offices are vacant." The Act merely stated that the duties assigned to the Mayor or Deputy Mayor can be performed by the Commissioner as per Rule 6 of Schedule II.

It claimed that since "the office of the Deputy Mayor is neither vacant nor demitted by me, your circular is clearly violative of the powers conferred on you. You have attempted to usurp the powers of a democratically elected representative... By your conduct you have cast aspersions on a democratic institution. By virtue of Section 33 you are merely entitled to attend the said meeting and not convene a meeting."

Asked for his reaction, Mr. Vijayakumar said he had received the letter though he was unsure about its authenticity. With the whereabouts of Mr. Thiagarajan not known, it was difficult to decide whether to act on the memorandum.

However, he said the Council had to break the impasse and would have to meet for making key decisions on projects for the city.

Several issues, including tenders had to be concluded within a given period, he said.

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