This was decided at the council meeting of Mysore City Corporation (MCC) on Friday. Incidentally, it was also the first council presided over by new Mayor Pushpalatha T B Chikkanna, and also a first decision in her reign.
Reading out the decision, the mayor said apart from the incumbents, the commissioner will also have to accompany them. Half-a-day holiday will be declared for the corporation as a mark of respect. In case any ex-corporator dies, mayor, deputy mayor and the zonal assistant commissioner have to pay last respect.
This follows the death of former mayor M V Venkataraju recently. As soon as the council convened the councillors observed a minute’s silence to pay tribute to godman Saibaba, former MLA Vedanta Hemmige, former union minister M S Gurupadaswamy, senior journalist M R Shivanna and M V Venkataraju, who passed away recently.
Corporators sang paeans of the deceased, eulogising them for their social conduct, that was in contrast with the positions they held, endearing them to the masses.
Former mayor Purushothama lauded Saibaba as a unknown force who upheld the meaning of humanity and kindness. He termed himself as too young to speak on Venkataraju, as he was already a youth icon in Ashokapuram locality, when he (Purushotham) was still a boy.
K V Mallesh, R Lingappa, K T Chaluvegowda also spoke.