Senior Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi today accused the SAD-BJP government in Punjab of "violating the democratic set up" by deciding to confer all developmental powers of local bodies to bureaucrats.
Punjab government vide notification issued on December 15 this year, conferred all developmental powers of Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats to the Deputy Commissioners, Additional Deputy Commissioners, SDMs and Estate Officers.
"This is in violation of the democratic set up. All the favored bureaucrats will take over the rights of elected members of municipalities. Congress opposes the decision of the Punjab government and asks it to revert this, otherwise we will move High Court," the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader said.
According to the Municipal Act only an elected representatives in Corporations, Councils and Nagar Panchayats have the right to execute development works, Channi said.
A Deputy Commissioner or Additional Deputy Commissioner has no legal right to use the power of a Mayor in Corporation or the President in Municipal Council or Nagar Panchayat, he added.
Channi also asked the government whether consent of any Municipal Corporation or Council was taken before this decision.
"There are 10 Municipal Corporations and 153 Municipal Councils and the Nagar Panchayats in Punjab which will feel the burnt of this undemocratic decision of the government," the CLP leader said.
Questioning the silence of SAD's ally BJP in this "undemocratic step" taken by the Punjab government, Channi said, the party seems to represent the urban areas but on this step it is totally silent and didn't even bother to speak against this notification.
