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Journalism of Courage
SURAT, July 1: Mayor Navneet Jariwala adjourned the SMC8217;s general board meeting, which was convened to elect the new mayor, the deputy mayor and the standing committee chairman.
The tenure of the mayor, the deputy mayor and the standing committee chairman expired on June 30. However, in view of the new system 8212; Mayor-in-Council 8212; which is to be introduced shortly, the ruling party decided to defer the decision.
While protesting the adjournment, Congress Councillor Bhupendra Solanki said, 8220;Adjourning the meeting amounts to murder of democracy.8221; Solanki said he would move the High Court to challenge the mayor8217;s decision, without assigning any reason.
As per the old rotational system, this time a woman candidate was to be elected mayor. However, all 33 women councillors kept mum, though they are reported to have reservations about the new system.
Solanki claimed that the BJP had violated the BPMC Act 19 1, which says the election of mayor, deputy mayor and standing committee chairman can be postponed only when there is some calamity like fire, flood or curfew. Fortunately, Surat, he pointed out, was not facing any disaster which could prevent elections from being held.
Solanki regretted that the BJP could not reconstitute 12 committees for the last three years and despite a majority had also failed to elect six new standing committee members.
In defence, Standing Committee member Shankerlal Chavli pointed out that elections had been postponed in all six municipal corporations in the state. However, according to the Act, elections of the mayor, the deputy mayor and the standing committee chairman can be held within 30 days after their tenure expires.
