BJP uses special council meets for debating issues
The Hindu
If one-third of the councillors issue a notice for a special council, it has to be convened
Demanding special council meetings has become the go to strategy for the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation to corner the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), with the fourth such meeting to be held within the past two months scheduled on Thursday. The BJP demanded the meeting to raise the Corporation’s alleged failure in effective waste management in the city. As per the rules, if one-third of the councillors issue a notice for a special council, it has to be convened. In case the ruling party declines this demand, those who issued the notice can still convene a special council meeting and pass resolutions. This clause, which was used by opposition parties sparingly in the past, is now being used frequently by the BJP.The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.