The power of making appointments lies only with the Commissioner, argues Jagrutha Nagarikara Vedike
Jagrutha Nagarikara Vedike on Wednesday urged the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) to constitute the Ward Committees and Area Sabhas (WCAS) in a fair and transparent manner and bring in accountability in local administration.
It said the MCC Commissioner should not nominate members to WCAS as supposedly recommended by the councillors since a procedure has to be followed in the selection of members, as done in the Mangaluru City Corporation by its Commissioner. The same model can be replicated here too.
The objectives of WCAS will become purposeful if the list of members said to have been given by the councillors was not chosen for the ward committees, whose main aims were the participation of the public to ensure the funds are spent for meeting the priority needs and also to monitor the contracts, and corruption was eliminated or at least minimised, the Vedike argued.
“It is the prime duty of every citizen to rise to the occasion and assert their right for a fair and transparent selection/nomination to the committees,” said the members of the newly-constituted Vedike.
Addressing presspersons here, Vedike Convener Malavika Gubbivani said the Commissioner has to invite applications from citizens through newspapers, the MCC website and other channels. Though the MCC had approved the formation of WCAS, it came to know that the Commissioner was planning to approve and notify the list of members selected by the councillors.
“We rushed to meet the Commissioner asking him to reconsider his decision. He said that if he had not accepted the list given by them, the Council would not have approved the resolution. Disappointed by his reply, we decided to hold a protest in front of MCC on Saturday but the police denied us permission. Being law abiding citizens, we gave up on the idea of a protest and are holding a press conference here to explain our stand. The responsibility on WCAS formation rests with the Commissioner,” a release signed by the Vedike conveners said.
They contended that the MCC Council has no say in this matter. If the MCC goes ahead with the list, it will be clearly a violation of the spirit and objects of the 74th Constitutional Amendment and also of the KMC Act of 1976 since the authority to nominate to the ward committee rests with the Commissioner. The KMC (Amdt.) Act of 2011 puts the onus of selecting the members to the ward committee on the Commissioner and not on the MCC Council or councillors. The Commissioner cannot delegate his powers to councillors, the Vedike said.