Corporation council session adjourned amidst commotion

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, JULY 11. The special session of the Chennai Corporation Council, which was convened today to approve polling stations in the city for the forthcoming local body elections, was adjourned amidst commotion yet again after Opposition councillors demanded that references to the Chief Minister and the AIADMK Government be expunged.

Heated exchanges were witnessed when the AIADMK councillor, Mr. Karate R. Thiyagarajan, wanted the election authorities to receive objections and suggestions from all political parties and the general public and only then place it before the council. He was cut short by the Mayor who asked him to restrict his speech to his objections only. Later, the house witnessed pandemonium when Mr. Nawaz (Tamizhagha Aikiya Jamaat), attempted to clarify the Mayor's stand. ``The process was done in a hurry and without the consent of the Mayor. The Commissioner has taken charge only recently and he doesn't know the intricacies,'' he said.

The Opposition Leader, Mr. P. Vetrivel, demanded that the remarks against the Commissioner and the Government be expunged. At this point, one of the TMC councillors threw a paper file towards the ruling party benches. The DMK councillors retaliated and there followed a free-for-all for a couple of minutes. Better sense prevailed thanks to senior councillors from both sides who intervened to cool tempers.

The Mayor then adjourned the house and referred the matter to the Ward Committees before being placed in the council.

While speaking on the draft list, Mr. O.M.Sampath of the TMC said the list was full of mistakes. Many streets and areas were listed to be within his division which he had never heard of Mr. S. Kadumpadi (Ind) said the polling stations should be retained in the same buildings which housed the booths during the Assembly elections while Mr. Jagan (MGR Kazhagam) said the polling stations should be reclassified to avoid inconveniences faced by many voters during the past elections. Mr.Danushkodi (BJP) said the polling booth list prepared was more than two decades old and hence did not take into consideration the newer schools and public utility buildings which had come up. Hence, the entire list had to be revised keeping in mind the convenience of the people.

Mr. Sampath (CPI) said the approval of polling booths should not be politicised. The council should pass the resolution and could suggest changes even later, he said. Mr. Nooruddin (INL) felt the lists should first be discussed at the ward committees before being placed for approval of the council.

On the Commissioner not accompanying the Mayor during the inspection of the Perambur flyover on Tuesday, Mr. Vetrivel said the Additional Commissioner was present during the inspection. Moreover, the Mayor was accompanied by more than 200 partymen which was again a flouting of official norms.

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