Search on for new EB chairman

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 22: After the removal of the English Bazaar Municipality chairman following the verdict of the Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court, the subdivisional officer, Mr Prasanna Kumar Mandal, has instructed the executive officer of EBM to take necessary steps to elect a new chairman. The EBM chairman, Mr Nihar Ranjan Ghosh, has been directed to run the civic body as the caretaker of house. The executive officer is preparing to issue a letter to the EBM vice-chairman to convene a meeting for electing the new chairman for the board. On 15 May, the SDO sent a letter to the executive officer of EBM quoting the direction pronounced by the Division Bench and instructing the officer to refer to Clause B (3) of Rule 6 of the West Bengal Municipality Procedure and Conduct of Business Rules 1995. The letter mentioned that 14 councillors of the 25-member board had voted against the chairman, Mr Nihar Ranjan Ghosh, calling a no-confidence motion against him on 3 April 2006. Following the direction of the Division Bench, the SDO announced the results of the no-confidence motion and removed the chairman of the English Bazaar Municipality. After the municipal elections, the CPI-M-backed Independent councillor was elected as the chairman inspite of the presence of only 11 out of 25 members. Though one Congress councillor and a Trinamul Congress councillor had cast their votes in favour of the chairman, but prior to the Assembly election all 14 Opposition councillors including one BJP councillor got united to remove the CPI-M-backed Independent chairman. As per rules, the vice-chairman of the EBM is bound to call a meeting for the election of the new EBM chairman. In VC’s absence in the meeting, any three borad members can convene the meeting.