SDMC passes resolution condemning AAP govt over funding

South Delhi Municipal Corporation House today passed a resolution which said that the grant-in-aid to be given to civic bodies was "not at mercy" of the city government but rather a "constitutional right" of the municipal bodies as a "local self-government".
The BJP-ruled SDMC also condemned statements given by the AAP government over the administration of the three civic bodies.
The corporations and the Delhi government had been at loggerheads over funds release. Both Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia have said that if the civic bodies cannot run their affairs, they should "hand it over" to the Delhi government.

Incidentally, only SDMC has managed to stay out of the red, while both the North and South Corporations have been saddled under huge debts.
"This august House of the Corporation condemns the statement given by the Delhi government through various news media and want to tell the Delhi government that according to Section 42 of the DMC Act, the municipal corporation holds the status of a local government," the resolution said.
Moved by leader of House Ashish Sood, the resolution said, "In various sections of the Constitution of India, the municipal corporation has been granted the status of an independent autonomous body and the grant-in-aid given to this civic body is not at mercy of the state government..."

Sood also said that the government should "release funds to the civic bodies immediately and this House reiterates that the Corporation cannot be held responsible for non-disbursal of pension to the old, handicapped and widows and only the Kejriwal government is responsible for the delay."

"All the above facts have also been described in the DMC Act 1957 under Section 107. So, it is clear that the grant-in-aid being given to civic bodies is not at mercy of the state government but a constitutional right," the resolution added.
Meanwhile, municipal councillor of BJP (Ward No 109/Janakpuri North) Shyam Sharma was today elected as member of the Standing Committee of SDMC.

Sharma and Independent councillor Satendra Rana had filed their nominations for the one vacant post of the member of the Standing Committee. While Sharma got 60 votes Rana got only 34 out of the 94 valid votes polled. The post had fallen vacant after the resignation of Kuldeep Solanki.