THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Standing committee elections at the City Corporation were completed on Friday, except for the Tax Appeal Standing Committee following resignations by two BJP councillors.
According to corporation secretary S Jahangir, all seven standing committees have now been constituted except Tax Appeal, where two seats remain vacant. Initially, the BJP had nominated five members to the committee, but two councillors withdrew and filed fresh nominations for the Works and Education-Sports Standing Committees.
“We cannot conduct a re-election for the Tax Appeal Committee. The corporation will inform the State Election Commission of the vacancies. The Vizhinjam ward polls are also pending and once the new councillor is sworn in, the process can be completed,” said Jahangir.
The election to five out of eight standing committees of the City Corporation was postponed to Friday as the number of nominations received did not meet the required strength during the elections held on Wednesday.
Elections to the Finance, Development, Health, Works and Education-Sports standing committees were held on Friday. A fresh nomination filed by one of the BJP councillors for the Works Standing Committee also went to poll and the BJP member got elected. Senior BJP councillor M R Gopan said the resignations were a strategic move to safeguard key standing committees.
“We wanted to ensure that we don’t lose control of important committees if the UDF and LDF decide to come together. The Welfare and Town Planning committees are also on edge. With equal strength, if the UDF and LDF vote together, the chairperson could be decided through a draw of lots,” he said.
LDF is expected to secure control of the Tax Appeal Committee. Elections for chairpersons of the standing committees will be held on January 14.