by Bhupen Goswami
Guwahati : The government has violated the municipal election rule, Said Indian National Congress Party on today in Guwahati . The party LeaderFormer Mayor, GMC and Ex President, Guwahati City District Congress Committee Kushal Kumar Sarmah, Former Councillor, GMC and President, Guwahati City District Congress Committee Swapan Das, Former Councillor, GMC and Pradesh Congress Committe member Uttam Sarkar, has said that the Guwahati Municipal Corporation is a Constitutionally affiliated body for Local Self Government.
But the election for this body is not taking place for the last three years after the expiry of the term of its earlier elected representatives. Different bodies of the state government namely GDD, Housing and Urban Development Department and even the State Election Commissioner is not giving required attention for holding the election and thus the citizens are getting deprived from the service of GMC in a proper way. The Indian National Congress party and its former councilors express their strong resentment for the same. It is noteworthy to recollect that the 74th amendment of the Constitution of India which was passed in the parliament way back in 1992 declared the municipal bodies as form of Local Self Government. Section 243(U)(3) of the Indian Constitution which is related to municipal bodies declares that election for such bodies should be conducted before the expiry of the term of its earlier elected representatives. By a Gazette Notification (No. 379) which was published on 4th September 2019, the Assam Government declared requisite qualifications for a candidate who wishes to become aelected representative. The same notification declared the end of Assam Nagar Raj Act, 2007 in areas of GMC by incorporation of section 445 in Guwahati Municipal Act. Subsequently, another gazette notification which was published on 26th May, 2020 declared the modifications in sections 51, 52, 53 and 54 of Guwahati Municipal Act which empowered the State Election Commission to do the needful for holding election of GMC.
The Indian National Congress Party and its former councilors express their surprise and concern for the reason that inspite of the above mentioned notifications,the State Election Commissioner has failed in his duty for implementation of the same. As the state govt. has geared up for holding bielections in the state, it is believed that the restrictions for holding elections in all municipal bodies of the state have come to an end. It is pertinent to mention that in spite of having constitutional provisions for decentralization of power through these local bodies, the concerned minister of the State Govt. is enjoying all the powers vested on these bodies taking advantage of not having elected representatives in these bodies. It is a serious threat to the constitutional provisions by the state government. It is further to be noted that most of such Local Governing Bodies are functioning with its elected members throughout the country outside Assam. So, through today’s press meet we strongly demand the state government as well as the State Election Commission to hold the election urgently for all such municipal and other Local Self Government bodies for the sake of saving the constitutional provisions and also for working in the better interest of residents of the state.
