Kamal Nath meets Governor, discusses ordinance to hold mayoral elections

The MP state cabinet had approved the Ordinance on September 25 to amend the law for running of local bodies and reinstate the 20-year-old system of indirect mayoral elections. But even after 10 days, the Governor is yet to decide on the Ordinance.

Updated on: Oct 8, 2019, 01:27:00 IST

Hindustan Times, Bhopal | By Shruti Tomar

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Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath met MP Governor Lalji Tandon on Monday to discuss the state government’s Ordinance to hold indirect mayoral elections in the state, a Raj Bhawan official said.

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath met MP Governor Lalji Tandon on Monday. (ANI PHOTO.)

The meeting took place a few days after former CM and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan met the governor opposing the Ordinance.

The MP state cabinet had approved the Ordinance on September 25 to amend the law for running of local bodies and reinstate the 20-year-old system of indirect mayoral elections. But even after 10 days, the Governor is yet to decide on the Ordinance.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Nath said, “I discussed with the governor several issues. I am sure that the Ordinance would be approved by the Governor as he is with the state government for development. I also requested him to help the state in getting relief funds for flood affected area from the Centre.”

On Sunday, Congress Rajya Sabha member Vivek Tankha had tweeted saying that as per constitutional arrangement the governor works on the advice of the cabinet. “Listen to opposition but don’t stop the Mayor Elections bill. This would be wrong precedence,” he had tweeted.

The tweet came after Chouhan met the Governor and opposed the ordinance. Chouhan said he requested the Governor that this ordinance would breed corruption in the system. “Congress leaders are questioning the credibility of the post of the Governor. I have requested the Governor to turn down this ordinance,” he said.

Nath said that whatever Vivek Tankha has said was his personal opinion. “It has nothing to do with the opinion of the state government,” he said.

According to a Raj Bhavan official, the Governor is taking experts view on the issue of indirect Mayor Elections.

“We are talking to experts from other states like Maharashtra and Gujarat where mayoral elections are conducted indirectly. Article 243 (W) of the Constitution permitted the state government to hold elections as per their will but we are also looking into the pros and cons of it,” the officer said requesting anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media.

The civic body elections in the state are slated for early 2020.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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