Requisition meeting held at English Bazaar

MALDA, April 3. — Fourteen Opposition councillors of the English Bazaar Municipality held a requisition meeting today, after a HC order under the observation of the Malda district administration. Reportedly, no ruling councillors, including the chairman and the vice-chairman, were present at the meeting that was presided by the Opposition leader, Mr Rama Banerjee. The district magistrate sent the English Bazaar BDO, the SDO and the executive officer of the EBM, to conduct the requisition meeting as observers. At the requisition meeting, all the 14 Opposition councilors made a resolution after casting votes in a secret ballot. The ballots were then sealed by the government officials and put into a box to be sent to the High Court as per its order. The Opposition councilors called the requisition meeting as a measure to remove the CPI-M-backed Independent chairman, but the chairman managed a get a stay order from the court. Recently, the court had issued an order to call the requisition meeting and instructed the administration to forward the resolution to the court by 24 April. It was instructed that the court would finally open the sealed box and give the verdict. Reportedly, a group of CPI-M leaders are skeptic and plan to look into the matter when the EBM authorities will conduct a fresh election for chairman. BJP councillors informed that all Opposition councilors have cast votes against the chairman in the meeting today. — SNS