Nagpur: A fresh political controversy erupted in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) after Congress corporator Kumudini Gudadhe from Prabhag number 38 questioned the decision to defer the election of 16 members to the standing committee during the first special general body meeting held on February 6.In a written representation addressed to the divisional commissioner and district collector (who was appointed as the presiding officer for the special meeting as a representative of the divisional commissioner), Gudadhe alleged that the postponement of agenda number 3 — election of 16 standing committee members under Section 20(1) and (2) of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act — was “completely against rules and established convention.“
She stated that since the February 6 meeting was convened as a special meeting, it was mandatory for the presiding authority to take up all agenda items listed in the subject sheet and seek the opinion of the House. “The election of the standing committee is a statutory requirement. Keeping it pending without assigning valid reasons undermines the sanctity of the House,” Gudadhe said in her letter dated February 11. The corporator sought a written clarification on the grounds for deferring the crucial agenda issue, questioning under what circumstances and “under whose pressure” the decision was taken. She argued that no formal explanation was recorded or communicated regarding the adjournment of the item.The standing committee is considered the most powerful statutory body within the NMC, exercising financial and administrative control. Delay in its constitution can directly impact budgetary approvals, tender sanctions, and key policy decisions. Already, the administration’s revised budget for the current financial year and the proposed budget for the next fiscal year would be impacted due to the delay in forming the standing panel.Political observers view the move as indicative of behind-the-scenes power tussles, especially amid shifting alliances and internal negotiations over committee representation. With Gudadhe marking copies of her letter to the divisional commissioner, the issue is expected to escalate further, potentially triggering legal and political scrutiny over procedural lapses in the civic body’s functioning.
