SP corporator to take oath today, HC curb on mayor’s powers likely to end

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party corporator-elect Lalit Kishore Tiwari will be administered the oath of office on Sunday, days after a Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court froze the financial and administrative powers of mayor Sushma Kharkwal over the delay.

On Thursday, the HC restrained the mayor from exercising financial and administrative authority after she failed to administer the oath to Tiwari, elected from Ward 73 (Faizullaganj). Under the order, the mayor could neither approve expenditure nor take disciplinary action against civic staff.

The development followed legal advice sought by the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) from advocate Prashant Singh Atal on Friday. He advised municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar to administer the oath at the earliest in compliance with the court’s directive and file an affidavit before the HC.

Mayor Kharkwal, who was admitted to Command Hospital on Friday due to illness, was discharged on Saturday. She subsequently held discussions with the municipal commissioner and directed that the oath ceremony be conducted without delay.

The ceremony will be held at 9am at the corporation headquarters in Lalbagh. LMC has issued a formal communication to Tiwari informing him of the schedule. Officials said the mayor’s powers are likely to be restored after compliance with the court order.