A month after a council meeting of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation witnessed violent scenes, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led administration has scheduled a council meeting for the last day of the month on Friday, to meet the requirement to have at least one council meeting a month.The Opposition fronts view it also as a possible attempt to pass the leave application and avoid disqualification of BJP councillor R. Sugathan, who was arrested under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA), and currently lodged at the high-security correctional facility at Viyyur Central Prison in Thrissur.
The previous council meeting on June 29 was convened after a long gap of 47 days, which the Opposition alleged was to prevent Mr.Sugathan from getting disqualified. A councillor can be disqualified if he or she fails to attend three consecutive council meetings without a valid reason. In the past, the Corporation council used to convene at least twice every month, with additional special council meetings which are often convened based on the notice of the Opposition parties.
“Someone being in jail under KAAPA is not a valid reason to sanction leave. In case the administration attempts to bring his leave for sanctioning in the council, we will oppose it. We will send complaints to the Corporation Secretary, the State Election Commission and the State government as well as move the HC in case it happens. If a councillor fails to attend 3 council meetings within a 90 day period, he can be disqualified. If they had not put in a fake signature for a council meeting in April, he would now be absent for four meetings,” Left Democratic Front (LDF) parliamentary party leader S.P.Deepak told The Hindu.
