Reacting sharply to the allegations of corruption levelled by Congress corporator Nitin Jagtap against two officers during a recent general body meeting, the Association issued a memorandum to Mayor Vatsala Andekar informing her about the code of conduct adopted by the officers at a meeting yesterday to avoid humiliation in future at the hands of the elected representatives.

The code of conduct listed in detail for the benefit of the Mayor begins with the declaration that henceforth all officers would remain accessible during the civic general body meetings only during office hours closing at 5.30 p.m. They would also not attend any functions organised by the Municipal Secretary's office on Sundays and holidays.

The officers would not be present at the meetings to respond to short notice questions and point of information since there was no such provision in the municipal act. If at all the municipal commissioner seeks any information in this regard, the officers would furnish it to him.

The officers would table statements on specific topics listed on the agenda of the meetings but would not respond to any further queries. This duty would be performed only during the office hours. Further the officers would keep away from the standing committee meetings since there was no specific provision making their presence mandatory.

The Association pointed out to the Mayor that she had failed to act on the demands made by the officers from time to time during the past year. The decision to adopt this code of conduct was unavoidable in the wake of the insulting treatments meted out to the officer at the general body and panel meetings during last couple of days, it was stated in the memorandum.

The memorandum, which was read out at the general body meeting by Municipal Secretary Hanmant Chavan evoked sharp reactions from the corporators, who asserted that the elected body was supreme and officers cannot defy its orders.