Ruckus in UP assembly over amendment in Nagar Nigam Bill 2015

By PTI

Updated: Wednesday, March 18, 2015, 14:20 [IST]

Lucknow, Mar 18: The issue of amendment in Uttar Pradesh Nagar Nigam Bill 2015, which empowers the government to remove mayors over various charges, including corruption, on Wednesday rocked the proceedings of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly.

The issue was raised by BJP members as soon as the House met, who alleged that it was a ploy of the state government to remove democratically elected mayors.

The state cabinet had yesterday decided to bring in UP Nagar Nigam (amendment) Bill 2015 which provided for merging the UP Nagar Nigam Act 1959 and UP Nagar Palika Act 1916.

It has provisions for removal of mayors and chairmen by the government. BJP legislative party leader Suresh Kumar Khanna said there should be an immediate discussion on the issue and it was a "misuse of majority" by the SP government.

When Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey said that the matter could be discussed when the Bill is tabled in the House, the BJP members jumped into the well, raising slogans against the government and tried to press for discussion on the issue.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mohd Azam Khan said that for the first time such a move has been initiated and it would enable removal of corrupt mayors.

"If a former Prime Minister can get court's notice, and two of state assembly members can be disqualified on Lokayukt, why can mayors not be removed? The BJP is trying to save corrupt persons. Mayors are not above law," Khan said.

Asserting that the move would strengthen democracy, Khan attacked the BJP saying, it should not have any problem if it favours honesty.

Leader of Opposition Swami Prasad Maurya of BSP claimed that it was a tacit understanding of BJP and SP not to run the House properly.

After disruption of the House for about half an hour, when the Speaker rejected the demand for discussion, the BJP members returned to their benches.

Out of 12 Nagar Nigam, BJP has its mayors in 10 towns and the party fears that the SP government might remove them after passage of the Bill.

PTI