THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The swearing-in ceremony of members of the newly-elected Thiruvananthapuram Corporation council began at 11.30 am. The district collector kept on requesting party workers and audience who gathered to witness the ceremony to comply with social distancing norms.
Though the area was under heavy police cover, the officers seemed almost helpless as the crowd ignored their instructions. The seating arrangements were also made without paying attention to COVID-19 protocol.
According to the corporation the usual swearing-in ceremony traditions were hardly followed this time. Earlier, authorities used to issue passes for each councillor to let them bring two guests each to the session.
Party workers were seen thronging the council hall, taking turns shouting slogans - most of them without a mask. The district collector intervened multiple times, urging them to keep calm and not disrupt the session. Ironically, even a few councillors were seen taking the oath without a mask.
A senior official of the Museum police station said that they didn't have any jurisdiction inside the hall, so the decorum was hardly their responsibility. The LDF councillors arrived at the council early while BJP councillors, accompanied by party workers, came marching to the council hall from Palayam Martyrs' Square just in time for the ceremony.
BJP councillor P Ashok Kumar, the seniormost member of the new council, was the first to take oath. Ashok, who won from Palkulangara ward, read out the oath for the other councillors. BJP councillor Manju GS of Karamana ward took the oath in Sanskrit, while a couple of councillors struggled to reach the council hall to take the oath.
Surakumari R, LDF councillor who won from Kinavoor ward, arrived in a wheelchair with help. It took some effort to get her inside the hall, which was already flooded with media persons, party workers and the audience.
"I was campaigning with the female party workers during my third round of campaigning. Unfortunately, I slipped on a staircase and broke my leg. I was very confident I would win, and this effort is worth it," she beamed.
A Covid-19 positive councillor was also at the ceremony in a PPE kit. Jayachandran Nair, LDF councillor who won from Kudappanakunnu ward, turned many heads as he arrived in protective gear accompanied by health officials. He was easily the star of the ceremony, with many eyes and lenses struggling to get a good look at him.
Jayachandran, who has been a party worker for the last three decades, was the last person to take the oath.
"I turned COVID-19 positive on December 10 and had myself tested again yesterday. But the result was still positive. I was told that I would be attending the session in a PPE kit. This is the second time I am contesting and the first time I am winning. This is a special moment for me," he said.