16 hours ago
Karaikudi Corporation Commissioner directed to convene special meeting
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Karaikudi Corporation Commissioner to convene a special meeting of the Corporation Council to consider a motion of no confidence against Mayor S. Muthudurai of DMK.
The court was hearing a petition filed by AIADMK Councillor V. Ramkumar (Ward 22) of Karaikudi. The petitioner said the Karaikudi Corporation consisted of 36 wards. Out of the 36 councillors, one had resigned. Now, there were 35 councillors in the sanctioned strength. Under these circumstances, a total of 23 councillors had expressed lack of confidence in the current Mayor due to administrative inefficiency, public dissatisfaction and failure to discharge duties.
The petitioner said that he and 22 other councillors made a representation for initiating a no confidence motion against the Mayor. Despite the valid representation with the required quorum of councillors as per the statute, no action was taken by authorities concerned to convene a special meeting or process the same.
The inaction of the authorities in not convening the meeting even after receiving a valid representation supported by more than the required number of elected councillors was arbitrary and unreasonable, the petitioner said, adding that it was violative of the mandatory procedure laid down under the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Act and Rules.
He sought a direction to the Karaikudi Corporation Commissioner to convene a special meeting of the Corporation Council to consider a no confidence motion against the Mayor based on the representation made in accordance with Section 51 of the Act read/with Rule 161 (3) of the Rules.
Justice C. Saravanan directed the Karaikudi Corporation Commissioner to convene the special meeting as per the Act and the Rules. and disposed of the petition.
AIADMK functionaries headed by MLA P.R. Senthilnathan staged a protest outside the Karaikudi Corporation Office demanding the removal of Mayor S. Muthudurai of DMK.
