42 MC councillors demand removal of Patiala Mayor Sanjeev Sharma

Patiala, November 15

Twentyfive more councillors of the Patiala Municipal Corporation today submitted a letter to Local Government Minister Brahm Mohindra demanding the removal of Mayor Sanjeev Kumar Sharma. As many as 17 councillors had yesterday demanded his ouster. Mohindra said four more councillors were said to have made the demand.

The development has brought to the fore the growing rift among the councillors. As per the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976: “A councillor holding office as mayor or senior deputy mayor or deputy mayor may be removed from his office by a resolution of the corporation passed by a majority of the total membership and by majority of no less than two-thirds of the members present and voting in a meeting of the corporation in the prescribed manner.”

The total number of rebel councillors now stands at 42. The MC ideally has 60 councillors. Mohindra said: “As many as 25 councillors today submitted a request in writing seeking the Mayor’s removal. As many as 17 had demanded the same yesterday.”

“I have done the job that was asked of me. The party high command will now take the decision on the matter.” Around 10 days ago, Ghanaur MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur had said the Mayor could be removed by the Local Government Minister. — TNS