Show-cause notice to Belgaum Corporation

Addressing the media on Wednesday, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar said a show-cause notice had been served under Section 99 of the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act and the City Corporation should furnish its response to the government in the next two weeks.

He chaired a meeting earlier in the day, where the matter was legally explored. Principal secretaries of Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Urban Development and commissioners of municipal administration and the corporation were present at the meeting. Kumar said the participation of the mayor and deputy mayor in Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti’s ‘Black Day’ rally on November 1 had hurt the sentiments of the people of the State.

“In the last seven months, ever since the Mayor (Manda Balekundri) took charge, only three meetings have been held. This, despite the notices served by me stating that Council meetings should be held every month. The Corporation has also failed to utilise funds allocated for the various schemes,” he said.

The government had also served notices to 17 corporators on November 1 for the disrespect they had exhibited towards littérateur Dr Chandrashekhar Kambar, after a congratulatory motion was moved by the Kannada-speaking corporators in the previous general body meeting. The government had also issued show-cause notices to Balekundri and Deputy Mayor Renu Killekar, who furnished their responses on November 17.