Thiruvananthapuram, July 31 (IANS) In a politically charged move that triggered uproar in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Council, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led administration on Friday secured approval for a six‑month leave of absence for jailed BJP councillor R. Sugathan, preventing his disqualification under the Kerala Municipality Act.
Sugathan, the councillor from Vazhottukonam ward, is currently lodged in Viyyur Central Jail under the Kerala Anti‑Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA).
Under the Kerala Municipality Act, a councillor who remains absent from three consecutive council meetings without prior leave is liable to lose membership.
The leave application, brought before the 101‑member council amid unprecedented scenes, was passed after the BJP secured the support of two independent councillors. Mayor V.V. Rajesh also exercised his casting vote in favour of the motion.
Addressing the media after the meeting, the Mayor said 51 members ultimately backed the proposal. He explained that Sugathan had initially sought permission from the State Government to attend the council meeting from Viyyur Jail.
“The government rejected the request. However, in the same communication, it informed him that he could apply to the Corporation Council for leave. Acting on that advice, the leave application was submitted and approved by the Council under Section 91K of the Kerala Municipality Act,” Rajesh said.
The council meeting unfolded amid high political drama. Anticipating the contentious agenda, both the LDF and the UDF entered the well of the House carrying placards and staged a noisy protest, demanding that the application be rejected.
The proceedings had begun on a cordial note, with the Corporation honouring its employees for becoming the first local body in Kerala to complete the State’s digital census. However, the atmosphere changed dramatically once Sugathan’s application came up for consideration.
The Opposition argued that granting six months’ leave to a councillor detained under the KAAPA law was without precedent and amounted to extending an extraordinary concession to a person facing serious criminal proceedings. Traditionally, such leave is granted only for reasons such as illness or unavoidable personal circumstances, they contended.
The BJP, however, maintained that the Council was merely exercising a statutory power available under the Municipality Act. Rajesh dismissed allegations of impropriety, insisting that the Corporation had acted strictly within the legal framework.
The vote also underlined the delicate political arithmetic in the 101‑member Corporation Council. The BJP, which heads the administration, has 49 councillors, while the LDF has 29, the Congress‑led UDF has 20, and there are two independent councillors.
With 51 votes required for a majority, the support of the independents proved crucial in ensuring the passage of the resolution.
The outcome is politically significant for the BJP, which scripted history in December last year by wresting control of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation from the Left after more than four decades of uninterrupted rule.
It was the first time the BJP had captured the administration of a municipal corporation in Kerala, making Friday’s vote a crucial test of its ability to retain its slender majority.
While the BJP has successfully averted Sugathan’s immediate disqualification, the controversy appears far from over. The LDF and the UDF have indicated that they are exploring legal options to challenge the Council’s decision.
–IANS
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