BHOPAL: The Kamal Nath-led Congress government’s move to turn the mayoral polls in the state into an indirect election (where municipal councillors and not citizens elect the mayor) has hit a roadblock.
Ten days since the state cabinet cleared an ordinance to make the mayor’s elections an indirect election, the state’s Governor Lalji Tandon is yet to sign the ordinance.
According to informed sources within the state government, the Raj Bhawan has asked the Congress government to first address the objections raised against making the mayor’s elections indirect.
Importantly, an office-bearer of the All India Mayors Council and ex-MP minister Umashankar Gupta had recently met the Governor, submitting the Council’s objections to the move.
Several representatives of the state government, including urban development and housing minister Jaivardhan Singh, have met the Governor for the passage of the ordinance.
The Governor, though, has made it clear that consent to the ordinance won’t be given till memorandums against the government move are addressed.
Congress’ Rajya Sabha member Vivek Tankha went on to tweet about the issue on Sunday.
“Honourable Governor, you’ve always been an able administrator. Under the Constitution, the Governor acts on the recommendations of the state cabinet, which is called Rajya Dharma. Please hear the opposition’s voice, but don’t withhold consent to the mayor election ordinance, else it will set a wrong precedent,” tweeted Tankha.
The BJP has been vehemently opposing the move to make the mayoral polls in 16 municipal corporations in the state indirect.