Kerala - Kochi   

UDF councillors stage dharna

KOCHI: United Democratic Front (UDF) councillors of the Kochi Corporation staged a dharna in the portico of the Corporation office demanding restoration of the council proceedings.

It was the reported decision of the Kochi Mayor to reschedule the council proceedings that made the Opposition councillors go in for agitation.

In the last council meting, the Mayor had announced that general discussions will be allowed only after considering the resolutions and the agenda.

This had invited the protest of the Opposition councillors at the meeting itself. The UDF councillors will go in for agitations both inside and outside the council until the practice of allowing discussion is restored, said A.B. Sabu, UDF parliamentary party leader in the Corporation council.

It is during the general discussion that the councillors can bring important developments and issues pertaining to people to the attention of the council. Any move to curtail the rights of the councillors cannot be allowed, he said.

The UDF representatives had earlier opposed the move when the Mayor had brought up the issue at an all-party meeting. Ms. Williams had explained that such a step was necessary to regulate the council proceedings and dedicate more time for discussing the agenda, he said.

During the meeting, the UDF had also suggested that the frequency of the council meetings should be increased and the time allotted for each member for taking part in discussions should be regulated by the chair, Mr. Sabu said.

Congress councillor N. Venugopal inaugurated the dharna. Mr. Sabu presided.

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