The former Deputy Mayor, Dhanraj Gavali, will once again challenge the government’s decision to uphold the dissolution of the Belgaum City Corporation council for the second time on Tuesday.
The Under Secretary to the Government, Department of Urban Development (Corporation-II), M.R. Mahesh Kumar, issued a fresh order, which was only a reiteration of the previous order dated December 15, 2011, on dissolving the civic body and appointing Deputy Commissioner of Belgaum as Administrator. The latest order, however, was taken after hearing the members of the dissolved council as per the direction of the Karnataka High Court, Circuit Bench, Dharwad.
The single bench, headed by Justice Mohan Shanthana Goudar, had quashed the December 15 Government Order, as the court found it in violation of Article 243(U) of the Constitution and advised the government to take a decision on the matter regarding dissolution of the council for which the government had issued a show-cause notice on November 26, 2011after hearing from the concerned councillors on the points raised therein.
Accordingly, Srinivasachar, Secretary, Department of Urban Development and Additional Law Secretary K.D. Deshpande conducted the hearing in the city on June 25.
Mr. Gavali said the decision of the government to dissolve the council was expected.
The government stood by its earlier decision and reasons therewith and completed the formality of obliging the direction of the Circuit Bench.
However, he will once again challenge the decision of the government in the High Court in a day or two, he said.
What the order said
Bangalore Special Correspondent writes:
The State government on Tuesday upheld its decision to dissolve the Belgaum City Corporation for not performing its functions in accordance with the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976, Section 99(B).
The corporation ignored advisories issued to it from time to time to make amends to its acts of omissions and commissions, the order said.