JOIN USAfter one-year of election to the council of Mangalore City Corporation, Mahabala Marla representing Kadri Padavu ward was elected as the 27th Mayor of Mangalore, on Thursday. Kavitha Vasu from Hoige Bazar ward was elected as the Deputy Mayor.
The posts were vacant for nearly a year as a writ petition filed by a corporator challenging the reservation roster notification of the government of August, 2013. The High Court had stayed the notification and had directed the government to reserve the post of Mayor to a general category candidate and the Deputy Mayor to a general category (woman) recently. Mysore Regional Commissioner M V Jayanthi was the election officer.
The election procedure went on swiftly without any confusion.
Mahabala Marla (Cong) and Tilak Raj (BJP) were contenders for the post of Mayor. The election was held by raising the hands. Marla bagged 37 votes including that of MLAs Mohiuddin Bava and J R Lobo, while Tilak Raj bagged 20 votes.
Similarly, for the post of Deputy Mayor, Kavitha (Hoige Bazar) and Poornima (BJP) had filed their nominations. Kavitha won 37 votes and Poornima won 20 votes. The term of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor will end on March 12, 2015.
Two JD(S) members namely Abdul Azeez and Rameeza Banu, Dayanand Shetty (CPM), Ayaz (SDPI) and Revathi (independent) remained neutral during the election.
Speaking after elected as the Mayor, Marla expressed displeasure over officials leaving the venue soon after the election. “Officials should be responsive to needs of elected representatives. Those officials who do not discharge their duties can go back to their parent department.”
“We will work in coordination for the integrated development of Mangalore city. As code of conduct is in place, I can not make any promises. However, all the promises made in the MCC election manifesto will be fulfilled during the five year term,” he said.
Congratulating the Mayor, BJP corporator Tilak Raj said “the council should take a decision on hike in SAS tax and trade license fee after the Lok Sabha polls. When it comes to development of Mangalore, the BJP will extend its support to the ruling members.”
BJP corporators Premananda Shetty and Sudheer said that there was a need to review the decision on SAS and Greater Mangalore project. “There is a need to accelerate the development works which had seen a set back in the last one year.”
Oath in Tulu
All the 60 elected members were sworn in as the Corporators of the MCC. Vijaykumar Shetty took an oath in Tulu after taking permission from the Regional Commissioner. Prathibha Kulai and Rameeza Banu took oath in English, while Dayanand Shetty took oath in the name of constitution.