Patiala, December 20

Nearly 25 days after the Patiala Municipal Corporation deemed Sanjeev Sharma Bittu suspended as Patiala Mayor, the Punjab Government has suspended the resolution to this effect.

‘Patiala MC erred’

The office of Advocate General opined the MC while passing the resolution had ‘erred in suspending the Mayor as the agenda of removal failed for not meeting the conditions of Section 39 of the MC Act’

The Under Secretary, Department of Local Government, in a speaking order, today said the execution of the resolution of Sharma’s suspension would be in contravention of powers conferred by the MC Act and declared it suspended.

Meanwhile, the petition filed by Sharma before the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the state of Punjab and other respondents over his ‘suspension’ was today disposed of by the Division Bench of Justice Ritu Bahri and Justice Ashok Kumar Verma.

The office of the Under Secretary, Department of Local Government, pointed out it had taken legal advice of the office of Advocate General, which had opined that the MC while passing the resolution had “erred in suspending the Mayor as the agenda of the removal of the Mayor failed for not meeting the conditions of Section 39 of the MC Act”.

The Under Secretary’s orders further said: “The House of Patiala MC is further directed to take up the supplementary agenda regarding no confidence motion, if again pressed in writing by the councillors who made the requisition under Section 39 of the MC Act.”

Insiders said per the Punjab MC Act, Section 39, which deals with the Mayor’s removal, the opposing councillors needed two-thirds of total members to vote against Sharma for his removal. But only 36 voted against him.

Sharma today said: “The decision of the House of November 25 was taken for personal interests. Now, it has been suspended. The public works have already been delayed for long. But we have taken a number of decisions during a meeting of the Finance and Contracts Committee today, proceedings of which will be sent to the department.” — TNS