Gurugram councillors, mayor argue over delay in holding House meets

The councillors said the mayor had not been convening the House meeting each month as per the rules. However, the mayor blamed the councillors for not sending agendas and their attendance at the house meetings.

Municipal councillors had a heated exchange with mayor Madhu Azad over irregular house meetings during the budget session of the House on Monday.

Municipal councillors had a heated exchange with mayor Madhu Azad (pictured) over irregular house meetings during the budget session of the House on Monday. (HT Photo)

The councillors said the mayor had not been convening the House meeting each month as per the rules. However, the mayor blamed the councillors for not sending agendas and their attendance at the house meetings. To this, the councillors claimed that they had been sending agenda regularly, they had received no communication from the mayor’s office regarding the dates on which she proposed to convene the House.

The last MCG House meeting took place on November 22, 2018. In the councillors’ 15-month tenure, only seven House meetings have taken place so far.

Councillor RS Rathee said, as per the rules, the MCG has to convene a House meeting every month. He said the procedure was not being followed since November last year. Azad replied, “Councillors have not sent me agendas despite being asked to do so that’s why no House meetings have been conducted.”

Several councillors disputed the mayor’s contention. Councillor Seema Pahuja said she had sent agendas regarding her ward twice. Azad said these had not been sent in the requisite time period due to which they couldn’t be considered for a proposed House meeting.

Following this, Rathee said he has an agenda pending for the last three months while councillor Brahm Yadav said that he had sent an agenda on February 18. Pacifying the House members, the mayor said “a meeting will be conducted every month”