Legal crisis grips GMC

GAYA: The Gaya Municipal Corporation is under the grip of a constitutional crisis following a resolution passed by the corporators to terminate the membership of mayor Asha Devi.
33 of the 40 members of the Gaya Municipal Corporation on Monday voted for the resolution to terminate the membership of the mayor. The corporators also levelled charges against the mayor.
A piquant situation has arisen as the post of Gaya mayor is reserved for women belonging to the scheduled caste category and Asha Devi is the only SC woman member of the Gaya Municipal Corporation and as such there is no other person constitutionally eligible to hold the post of mayor.
When contacted, Asha Devi said the resolution allegedly passed by the corporators has got no legal sanction, as, only the court or the state government have the power to terminate her membership of the GMC. Asked about her next course of action, Asha Devi said that she would approach the state government to set things right and if the state government, too, sided with deputy mayor Bachhu Yadav, who was instrumental in the matter, she would approach the high court to seek direction and justice.
Conceding that a legal complication of sorts has arisen, district magistrate Chaitanya Prasad said the matter has been referred to the state government for direction. However, nobody would be allowed to create law and order problem over the issue, said the DM.