The Municipal Corporation (MC) of Chandigarh on Thursday rejected all 16 table agendas that had been passed without discussion at a previous sitting, including one item amounting to ₹227 crore, officials and councillors said.
What happened in the House
As the MC House convened, Mayor Saurabh Joshi announced that the disputed table agendas had been annulled and would be placed on the main agenda in the next House meeting. The announcement followed protests from Opposition councillors who questioned how significant proposals were allowed to be introduced as table business without adequate debate.
Mayor Joshi said that all BJP councillors voted in favour of rejecting the contested items and backed the decision to return them to the House for full discussion. He also asked why councillors who were present when the table agendas were earlier passed had not raised objections then, noting that many Opposition members had been in the chamber at the time.
“A number of councillors of AAP were present but stayed mum that time when the table agendas were passed and are now protesting. Many others leave the House in the evening when agendas are taken up. Why weren’t all present when these proceedings were taking place?”
Contention over process and urgency
Former mayor Harpreet Babla raised concerns about the urgency with which a proposal involving such a large sum was tabled. She questioned why a matter of that magnitude had been brought as table business rather than through the ordinary agenda process that allows fuller scrutiny and debate.
MC Commissioner Amit Kumar outlined two procedural routes for annulling a table agenda. He said the House could refer the matter to the administration and seek annulment, or the House itself could discuss and annul the agenda. Following a heated exchange, councillors were asked to record their position by a show of hands; as they raised their hands to signal rejection, the table agendas were cancelled and a photograph was taken to document the vote.
Immediate outcome and next steps
The annulment means the 16 items will be placed on the main agenda at the next MC House meeting for detailed discussion. Officials indicated the move is intended to ensure procedural compliance and give councillors the opportunity for fuller scrutiny.
- Table agendas annulled: 16
- Largest item identified: ₹227 crore
- Method used to record rejection: Show of hands and photograph
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Number of table agendas | 16 (all annulled) |
| Largest financial proposal | ₹227 crore |
| Recorded vote method | Show of hands; photograph taken to register vote |
Political tensions and questions of transparency
Opposition councillors protested that the House had been kept unaware of decisions affecting major public spending and criticised the administration for permitting important items to be dealt with as table agendas. The mayor countered by asking why councillors present previously had not objected at that time. The exchange highlighted underlying political tensions within the House over procedure and oversight.
While the House annulled the items, council members and civic watchers will now look for the administration to follow the due process of reintroducing the matters on the main agenda so they can be debated in detail. The MC commissioner’s remarks signalled that both administrative and legislative routes remain available to address procedural irregularities.
The decision to move the items to the main agenda will give councillors an opportunity to question specifics of the proposals, examine their financial implications and seek legal or technical clarifications before any fresh approvals are considered.
Municipal meetings in Chandigarh have in recent months seen heightened scrutiny over procedural propriety and financial transparency. The annulment of these table agendas is likely to intensify calls for clearer rules on when substantive matters may be introduced as table business and for stronger documentation of votes and deliberations.
