Civic polls: Chhattisgarh drops right to recall' provision, BJP cries foul

Bhopal: The decision by the Chhattisgarh government to do away with the ‘right to recall’ provision seeking the removal of ‘tainted’ chairpersons of the civic bodies in the state has been opposed ‘tooth and nail’ by the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The Chhattisgarh government has recently promulgated an ordinance bringing sweeping changes in the Municipality Act by doing away with the system of direct election of mayors and chairpersons of the civic bodies and dumping the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to return to the allot paper system in the urban local body polls, scheduled to be held in the state in December this year.

The Chhattisgarh government has now decided to drop the ‘right to recall’ provision in the Municipality Act.

Under the provision, a ‘discredited’ mayor or chairperson of a civic body can be removed in re-election.