GULBARGA: Gulbarga Zilla Panchayat chief executive officer P.C. Jaffer has rejected a notice served by 29 members of the panchayat asking him to convene a special meeting to move a no-confidence motion against zilla panchayat president Yellappa Karikundi. The notice does not contain signatures of the required number of members to convene the meeting, he has said.

Official sources said here on Tuesday that the Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act states that a special meeting of the zilla panchayat can be convened by the president provided one-third of the members serve a notice asking him to do so.

Members of the zilla panchayat include legislators, MPs and presidents the ten taluk panchayats in the district. Although they cannot vote on a no-confidence motion against the president, their signatures are required for convening a special meeting.

The ruling Janata Dal (S) and the Bharatiya Janata Party, and independent members supporting the ruling combine, who have rebelled against Mr. Karikundi, are now in the process of collecting two more signatures to reach the one-third figure of 31 to seek the convening of a special panchayat meeting.

Meanwhile, JD(S) leaders are trying to persuade Mr. Karikundi to voluntarily resign instead of being removed through a no-confidence motion. There were unconfirmed reports that Mr. Karikundi submitted his resignation on Tuesday. But Mr. Jaffer said he had not received Mr. Karikundi's resignation.

The total strength of the zilla panchayat is 93. This includes 65 zilla panchayat members (one seat is vacant after the death of a member), 10 taluk panchayat presidents, 12 MLAs, 2 MLCs and four MPs.

Technically, it is the president who is empowered to convene a special meeting and not the chief executive officer. The beleaguered Mr. Karikundi, however, has 15 days to convene a special meeting after notice is given. If he fails to convene the meeting, the vice-president and signatories to the notice should give another notice to the chief executive officer, who should convene the meeting within 15 days.

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