Members elected unanimously to MCC panels

Four standing committees constituted

Though, the election process began under the directions of the Returning Officer and Regional Commissioner V Jayanthi, the voting did not take place as all the seven members to various committees were elected unanimously.

The nominations of K V Mallesh and T Jayaram for the Pubic Health, Education and Social Justice Standing Committee were rejected due to technical reasons initially, but the council was reconvened in the afternoon to correct the error. 

Both nominations, though suggested by two different councillors, the suggestion was approved by corporator Lingappa, which violates the article 77(A) of the Municipal Corporationl Act.

Mallesh and Jayaram were given a second chance to file nomination in the afternoon.
As the election process began at 12 noon, the seven members to the standing committees on tax and appeals, town planning and development and accounts committee were unanimously elected. There were only seven nominations for all the committees and were found in order. The Returning Officer gave 5-minutes time for withdrawal of nominations.  But, there was no withdrawal.

Mallesh and  Jayaram were also elected unanimously in the elections held in the afternoon.  JD(S) corporator and former mayor H S Srikantaiah opposed the Government order which gives powers to the Regional Commissioner to conduct the mayoral and standing committee elections every year in a five-year long term of the council.

Earlier, the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act empowered the sitting Mayor to conduct the successive mayoral and standing committee elections.

However, the Government brought an amendment to article 71 of the KMC Act on April 8, 2011 saying the Regional Commissioner would chair the elections to standing committees.

Govt order opposed

Before the start of the polls on Monday, Srikantaiah said he opposed the Government order which undermines the powers of the mayor in the council.

Opposition leader Nandeesh Preetham intervened and held the Government decision correct citing the confusion created during the elections to standing panels last year and before last year.