The State Election Commission has disqualified 24 councillors of the Pattambi municipality for failing to submit statements of their assets and liabilities on time.
With 24 out of the 28 municipal councillors having been disqualified, the municipality is facing a crisis, which may ultimately lead to a fresh round of elections.
As many as 10 members of the Indian Union Muslim League, five of the Congress, six from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and three from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were among the disqualified councillors.
Election Commissioner V. Bhaskaran disqualified the councillors on the basis of a complaint filed by a group of councillors led by K.C. Gireesh. Ironically, Mr. Gireesh too is on the disqualified list.
The Election Commission said that the councillors had failed to submit their assets and liabilities statements within the stipulated time of 30 months after their election.
They were disqualified as per Section 91 (P) of the Kerala Municipality Act.
The councillors had assumed office on November 12, 2015. At first they were to submit the statements in three months. The Election Commission extended the deadline for submitting the statements to 15 months, and later to 30 months by getting the government to amend the rules.
Two extensions
Accordingly, the councillors were to submit the statements before May 12, 2018 to the Regional Joint Director of Urban Affairs in Kochi. The commission was aghast at the failure of the councillors in submitting the statements in spite of having given two extensions. The councillors, meanwhile, said that they would approach court seeking a stay on the Election Commission’s action.
Apart from Mr. Gireesh, those disqualified were Kunhumohammed Rasheed, Manikandan K.C., Ummer Palathinkal, K.V.A. Jabbar, Mushtak Abdul Naseer, A.K. Akbar, Abdul Hakeem Rasi, K. Basheer, Balkees, Vineeta Gireesh, Muneera, K. Jayalekha, Krishnaveni, Girija, P.P. Sunita, Amina, Sheeja, Sangeeta, Subramanian P., Rahna V., M.V. Leela, N. Mohanasundaran, and P. Geeta.