Strict code soon to rein in rowdy councillors

All the rowdy municipal councillors, who were seen exchanging blows and kicks in the MCD House meeting on Monday, will not be able to get away so easily with such behaviour in future.

All the rowdy municipal councillors, who were seen exchanging blows and kicks in the MCD House meeting on Monday, will not be able to get away so easily with such behaviour in future.

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The MCD plans to frame a code of conduct to govern the public behaviour of municipal councillors. Standing Committee Chairman Vijender Kumar Gupta said an all-party meeting would be convened on the issue as soon as possible. “The code will be binding on all municipal councillors. Anyone found violating the code would be punished,” he said. Besides laying down rules for the kind of language that councillors can use in corporation meetings, the code will also address the issue of corruption in politics and the ostentatious lifestyle of elected representatives.

Also, Mayor Arti Mehra is contemplating installing closed circuit television cameras and deploying marshals in the MCD House to keep rowdy elements under control. “We have already written a letter to the MCD Commissioner,” said Leader of MCD House Subhash Arya.

In Monday’s fight between BJP and BSP councillors, two of them were injured. “Councillor Vinod Kumar is still in a hospital. He was punched in the stomach. Councillor Kiran Chopra suffered a fracture. Her hand is in a sling,” said Gupta.

For each House meeting, the MCD pays around Rs 90,000 as allowance to the councillors. “Councillors are paid the money so that they raise important issues affecting the public. It is shameful that they indulge in such rowdy behaviour,” Gupta said. The Mayor has already ordered an inquiry into Monday’s incident.