The Calcutta High Court has ruled that Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Chairperson Mala Roy is permitted to convene monthly meetings as per the Municipal Act. Despite allegations of no meetings being held after the Chairperson’s call, a case was filed in the High Court. Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya’s division bench affirmed Roy’s authority to schedule monthly meetings under the Municipal Act.
The last monthly meeting of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation took place on May 22. The court has directed the civic body to submit an affidavit with the resolutions of that meeting by June 9. The next hearing for this case is scheduled for June 17. Speculations about the possible dissolution of the KMC after a government change have been dispelled by the High Court’s decision to allow the monthly meetings.
Following the recent government change, the Mayoral in Council meeting was canceled, and the KMC’s monthly session was suspended. Additionally, the state government replaced the Kolkata Municipal Corporation’s secretary. Notably, on May 22, a meeting room at the KMC was locked despite being called by the Chairperson, leading to discussions held outside the room by Mala Roy and Trinamool Congress councillors.
Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim criticized the incident as a “black day” for the civic body and urged the state government to prioritize residents’ interests over confrontation. Subsequently, a case was filed in the High Court regarding the matter.
