All proceedings of Theni Municipal council meeting were stalled and the chairman and vice-chairman walked out of the hall as councillors, cutting across party lines did not allow the council to proceed further here on Friday.
At the outset, AIADMK, DMK, Congress and DMDK councillors wanted to table the minute book before the council to enable them see the contents of resolution in connection with the new Theni bus stand. They alleged that the chairman had suppressed the protests raised by almost all councillors in connection with the new bus stand in the last council meeting and recorded that the particular resolution was passed with full majority in the minute book. “We wanted to know whether our protests were duly recorded in the minute book or not.”
When the Chairman, S. Palanisamy, stated that there was no provision in the law to table the minute book, the councillors started shouting. Pandemonium prevailed in the hall for a long time.
When the municipality staff attempted to read the subjects, some councillors rushed to the dais and pulled the mike from the staff. The proceedings were stalled immediately.
All the councillors criticised the autocratic behaviour of the chairman.
In the meanwhile, the chairman along with vice chairman M.N. Ilangeswaran walked out of the hall without furnishing any details. Later, the councillors too went out of the hall. Resolutions on several important subjects including major drinking water scheme was not passed in the meeting.
The councillors strongly protested against some conditions laid by the Forest officials before handing over forest land to the municipality for construction of new bus stand near SIDCO Industrial Estate in the last council meeting.
