Date:20/07/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/07/20/stories/2006072016640600.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Jayalalithaa flays amendment to municipal laws

Special Correspondent

It will make councillors "all-powerful"

Jayalalithaa

CHENNAI: The recent amendment to municipal laws abolishing the system of mayors of municipal corporations and chairpersons of municipalities getting elected directly by voters was not made with public interests in mind, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Jayalalithaa said on Wednesday.

In a statement, she said the change would make councillors "all-powerful." Mayors and municipal chairpersons would be under their control , she said. This would only create an administration that had no contact with people.

She criticised the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government for promulgating an ordinance when the Assembly was scheduled to hold its sitting from July 22.

Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi's decision to make the changes was nothing unexpected, given the compulsions and uncooperative attitude of his allies. If the DMK suffered defeat in the local bodies elections, the government would lose credibility.

This explained why Mr. Karunanidhi, "by creating confusion in the local bodies election rules and instigating someone to go to court," intended to postpone the elections citing this, Ms. Jayalalithaa said.