Tirunelveli Corporation councillors to meet on January 12 to vote on no confidence motion against Mayor

Tirunelveli Corporation to vote on no confidence motion against Mayor on Jan 12, 2024.

The Tirunelveli Corporation council meeting has been convened on January 12, 2024, at 11 a.m. to discuss and vote on the no confidence motion against Mayor P. M. Saravanan.

According to an announcement from the Corporation Commissioner Thakare Subham Dnyandeorao. issued on December 27, 2023, the council members shall be present at the meeting hall on January 12. After a discussion, there shall be voting held in this regard, the letter stated.

The meeting has been convened after 38 councillors from the DMK submitted a letter to the Commissioner on December 7, stating that they had no confidence in the Mayor and asked officials to convene a meeting. Therefore, under the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Act 1998, 51 (2)(3), the no confidence meeting will now be held.

With a majority of the DMK councillors alleging that they had lost confidence in their own party functionary, the Mayor, the Corporation has to conduct a meeting as per the laws, an official said on Friday, December 29, 2023. The monthly council meetings held at the Corporation over the last two years have been frequently disrupted with the DMK councillors and the Mayor’s supporters clashing.

Of the 55 councillors in the Corporation, 51 are with the DMK front, while the four others are from other parties including the AIADMK.

Despite the DMK and its allies enjoying a majority, the ruling party councillors are divided amongst themselves in two camps: one for the Mayor and one against. Even talks by the party high command to bring together the factions have been in vain, and the stage is now set to move the no confidence motion.

AIADMK district secretary Thatchai Ganesaraja had earlier announced that they would support the no confidence move against the Mayor due to public interest.