Taking note of political appointments in municipal bodies, the Election Commission has asked the West Bengal Chief Secretary to temporarily restrain such political appointees, who are holding the office of Administrators/ Head of Board of Administrators in the Municipal Corporations and appoint Government officials to discharge the functions during the period of model code of conduct (MCC).
In its order on Saturday, the EC said that a committee headed by Chief Secretary, and Principal Secretary Urban Development, and Principal Secretary Personnel as members shall appoint the government officials, keeping in view ECI’s instructions to discharge the functions of the Administrators/ Head of Board of Administrator, as the case may be, during the period of MCC.
The BJP has urged the EC to remove ‘political appointees’ from various boards of administrators in civic bodies appointed by the West Bengal Government, saying it appointed the same representatives who had completed their term of five years in blatant violation of constitutional and legal provisions. “Since the tenure of former elected representatives has expired, they cannot be conferred powers to manage affairs of the municipality under any pretense, the BJP delegation told the EC and cited a Supreme Court ruling to back its demand.