Oppn protest over amendment in local bodies Act baseless: CM

Lucknow, Feb 22 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief MinisterMayawati has today termed protest by the opposition parties as"unfortunate and baseless" over the amendment in theurban local bodies act.

"The Chief Minister has termed protest by oppositionparties over the bill for amendment in election process ofmayors and chairmen as unfortunate and baseless," AdditionalCabinet Secretary Ravindra Singh told reporters here.

The Uttar Pradesh Assembly was yesterday adjournedsine die after opposition members created rumpus over thebill which proposes indirect elections for mayors and chairmenof urban local bodies.

Their contention was that the bill could encouragehorse trading and dominance of money and muscle power in theurban local bodies.

"For effective implementation of the welfare schemesthrough local bodies it was observed that election process ofthe mayors and chairmen, which was in practice before 1994,should be implemented," Singh said.

As per the new bill, which has been passed by both theHouses of the state Assembly, indirect elections of mayors andchairmen will be done, instead of direct election beingfollowed now.

He said that in the existing system it has beenobserved that mutual understanding between the corporators andmayors was lacking as a result to which proper implementationof welfare schemes cannot be ensured and working of localbodies was affected.

"More so, process of indirect elections of chairmen inpanchayats is already been followed since long and is timetested," he said.

"The CM is of the view that in the public interestgovernment has the powers to amend any act," he added.

He said that system of indirect elections was followedby various government for 40 years and unnecessary proteststarted when the existing government initiated the move toamend it.