Mangaluru City Corporation initiates process for ward committee formation

Following directions from the Karnataka High Court, Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) initiated the process of appointing members to the ward committees in its 60 wards.

After a PIL filed in the High Court by the members of the Karnataka Ward Samithi Vedike, the court in its order dated August 8, 2019, had directed the authorities to notify Area Sabhas before the Ward Elections and form Ward Committees after the elections to the MCC Council.

The 74th Constitutional amendment and amendment of Karnataka Municipal Corporation (KMC) Act in 2011 mandates formation of ward committees and area sabhas in all city corporations, to ensure citizens' participation.

The MCC had adopted the agenda on formation of ward committees at its meeting held on August 13. Accordingly, the MCC has to form ward committees in each ward with the respective ward corporator as chairman. As a prelude to the formation of the ward committees, the MCC has invited applications for the ward committee members, MCC commissioner Akshy Sridhar said.

As according to government guidelines, each ward committee will have 10 members, including one member from the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, three women, two representatives from civic groups and three from the general category.

The MCC will accept applications from the public keen on being members in the ward committees of their respective wards. Applications will be accepted at the three zonal offices in Kadri, Central and Surathkal until November 17, a press release stated.

The application should include details of name, date of birth, address, ward number, caste, category, educational qualification and their area of interest or experience, in the application form.

Applicants must also declare that there are no pending criminal cases against them along with a declaration that they are not members of any political party nor affiliated to any political party.