Nomination for post of Mayor, Dy Mayor starts on February 2

Standing Committee members nomination also listed in agenda in special meet scheduled on February 6  

 

Accelerating the process for election of new Mayor, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has issued a detailed notification on Thursday to start the nomination process from February 2. The election of Deputy Mayor also is scheduled on February 6 as per the stated schedule. As per the election programme released by NMC’s Secretariat, scrutiny of the applications submitted for the post of Mayor and Deputy Mayor will be done on the date of election — February 6. Post scrutiny, the Presiding Officer, the District Collector, will announce names of eligible candidates. A 15-minute period will be available for any candidate in the fray for withdrawal of the nomination. If needed, the elections will be held during the special meeting to be held between 11 am and 3 pm, the same day.

 

The post of Mayor, as may be noted, is reserved for woman from Open category and the reservation will be for a period of two-and-half years. As to Deputy Mayor post, same is a more or less a decorative post, without any powers, and hence not much importance is attached to the same. The nominations would be accepted three days before the special meeting. A special cell will be set up at Standing Committee Hall for parties to submit nomination papers of their candidate. In effect, the administration is fast-tracking the process so that elected office-bearers can start the work in right earnest. The hurry is also understandable, as the new elected body, especially the Standing Committee, would have to work out the all-important Budget of the civic body.

 

The NMC budget has two stages. First, the Municipal Commissioner submits it to the Standing Committee. The Standing Committee, post-discussion, can either accept the same as it is, or it has option to increase the allocation and add new items over and above the one recommended by Commissioner. Almost a fortnight has passed since declaration of the results of NMC elections and the political parties are still taking their own time to set their house in order. While the Congress has completed its registration with the Divisional Commissioner, the ruling BJP lagged behind and untimely, death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar further delayed the process. Now, in all probability, BJP will have to finalise the name of its candidate for the post of Mayor within next two days. The registration with Divisional Commissioner might take place by month-end. 

 

 

The notice issued by NMC’s Secretariat also reveals that even nomination of 16 members on all important financial arm, the Standing Committee of NMC, will be announced in the first special meeting of the new House to be held at Suresh Bhat auditorium. The respective group leaders in House would have to submit names of their parties in proportion to the party’s strength.