‘Office sanctioned to former MLA flouting rules’

Leader of Opposition in Mangaluru City Corporation Council Premananda Shetty has charged that the Standing Committee on Taxation, Finance and Appeals has sanctioned a full-fledged office room functioning from a commercial complex of the MCC at Kadri-Mallikatte to former MLA J R Lobo by violating all the rules.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, he said that as per the guidelines of the government, all the stalls of the city corporation should be distributed through auction. The committee has also fixed the deposit and rent for fully furnished office to be given to Lobo. The deposit is Rs 5,53,000 and Rs 7,237 is the rent, he claimed.

Condemning the move of the standing committee, he urged the committee to withdraw its decision immediately.

“In fact, the Standing Committee with seven members has two members from the Opposition. The agenda that was sent to the members three days in advance did not have any agenda pertaining to the sanctioning of the office to former MLA. It was on July 31, during the meeting of the standing committee, the agenda was given to its members as additional agenda,” he alleged.