December 10: Confusion was the reigning emotion at the headquarters of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation today after Chief Minister Manohar Joshi announced the introduction of the mayor-in-council system for the civic body yesterday.

While the ruling Shiv Sena members including Mayor Vishakha Raut were jubilant, the opposition Congress corporators were sceptical about the system and the administrative staff looked worried over their status and role in the corporation's decision making. Most of the corporators were unaware of the implications of the system.

At the standing committee meeting today, Congress corporator Ravindra Pawar raised the point of order seeking to know why only 11 corporators should be involved in deciding the policies when all the corporators were elected members. He urged the chairman of the committee and also the municipal commissioner to reject the system.

Condemning the new system as "a political ploy", another Congress member Kishan Jadhav said, "Sena chief Bal Thackeray will now pull the strings from Matoshri and the Mayor will dance to his tune. And this will only benefit the Sena." He alleged that there were hardly any Sena corporators capable of leading the corporation.

Jadhav said that he preferred the high-handed behaviour of the Commissioner to Sena dictating the policies. "In the existing system, the corporators could move a no-confidence motion against the Commissioner and replace him. Now there is no provision to keep a check on the council members," he explained.

Leader of the Samajwadi Party, Yusuf Abrahani, did not mince words in criticising the system. "The whole thing is a farce. The 11-member council will meet once a month and the rest of the corporators will be given the minutes of these meetings."

Sena leader Nandu Satam pointed out that the system has in fact strengthened the Congress. "So far we have not been able to exercise any control on the administration even after moving adjournment motions. Now at least the 11 corporators will have a say in the policies," he said adding that the council members will be "highly responsible and accountable". However, the relation between the corporators and the council members is very crucial, he added. Regarding the other corporators, he said that they will have a major role to play in the ward committees to be formed by the corporation soon. Other corporators also raised queries on how the system functions.

Additional Municipal Commissioner Shreedhar Joshi has planned a one-day seminar on December 19 to familiarise the corporators and the officers with the system.

The administrative officers preferred to maintain silent. "Either way we have to work. But earlier, the commissioner was on our side. With his powers being curtailed, we will wait and watch for the probable changes," remarked an officer. A senior officer remarked, "Now top level IAS officers will try to get their postings somewhere else rather than come to the corporation."

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.