Mayor calls meeting for standing committee polls

Mysuru: After deferring the crucial election to Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) standing committees for four times, mayor Shivakumar has scheduled a meeting on Thursday. The election was not held in the last nine months after the mayor was elected in the first week of September. Former mayor and Congress member in the council, Ayub Khan said the reason for deferring the election is not known but the delay has impacted development works. “A meeting is scheduled on May 25 and we hope the chairpersons to the four standing committees are elected at least this time,” he said. Congress corporators had protested in front of the old council hall after locking its door for adjourning the poll to elect chairpersons for taxation, finance, and appeals; public health and education; town planning and reforms and accounts standing committees. Then mayor Shivakumar had claimed that the election was postponed following a request from JD(S) members. Usually, the election to these committees is held soon after the mayoral polls. The mayoral election was held in September 2022 but the election to the committees was delayed. Each committee consists of seven members and one of them is elected chairperson. Congress has three members each in three committees while two members in the finance committee. JD(S), which had helped BJP win the mayoral polls wanted the chairperson’s post in at least two committees in return and hence there is delay in elections, a member said. Ayub Khan said the chairperson of the finance committee has to present the MCC budget and as the post is vacant, the budget still hasn’t been presented. Usually, the budget is presented in March. Mayor Shivakumar didn’t respond to our calls.