Among the leaders in the Opposition only one leader is entitled for the status of leader of Opposition with an office, staff and a chauffeur-driven car. The staff include a personal assistant and a peon. Violating the KMC Rules 1998, the council has awarded the status to two leaders, one each from the Congress and JD(S).
Besides Mayor and Deputy Mayor, leader of the ruling party and the leader of the Opposition are entitled for an office and other facilities in the Palike. But, both - M Nagaraj of the Congress and Padmanabha Reddy of JD(S) - have been provided with these facilities, incurring additional expenditure to the Palike.
The Karnataka Municipal Corporations (Procedure for conduct of business of the corporation and the committee) Rules 1998 says the Mayor has the powers to recognise the leader of a party which has the largest number of members other than the party which has formed the council, as leader of Opposition. But there is no provision for two leaders of Opposition or a party leader under the rules.
Mayor S K Nataraj defends the action arguing it was prevailing in the previous council as well. “In the last council leaders of the Congress (ruling party) and leaders of Opposition from JD(S) and BJP enjoyed the facilities. Similar arrangement is continued this time too,” he said.
Prior to the KMC Rules 1998 came into effect from April 4, 2002, the Palike continued with the tradition of offering facilities to leaders of all the three parties. When the rules came into effect in 2002, the Council was already in existence. The council did not want to disturb the procedure by withdrawing the facilities offered to leader of the third largest party in the council. “But now there is no point in violating the rule,” a senior official of the Palike said.
