Kamal urges Irai Anbu to form area sabhas, ward committees

Makkal Needhi Maiam president Kamal Haasan on Monday met state Chief Secretary Irai Anbu urging him to take steps to bring out rules to implement area sabhas and ward committees in the urban local bodies.

“The state passed the Tamil Nadu Municipal Laws (Amendment) Act 2010. This Act paves way for “area sabha and ward committee” formations in corporation and municipalities. Eleven years after the passage of the Act, it has not come into force as rules are yet to be formed, ” Kamal told reporters at the Secretariat after meeting the Chief Secretary.

The actor-politician said that half of the state’s population lives in the urban area but they are being denied a chance to participate actively in democracy. “The amendment recommends Area Sabha and Ward Committee only for corporations and municipalities. Town panchayat has been excluded from this amendment. We request the state to include the town panchayat,” he said in the petition.

Pointing out that states like Kerala and Karnataka have been successfully implementing area sabhas and ward committees, he said that in Karnataka, the Bengaluru Corporation is allotted Rs 50 lakh for ward committees, thereby making available Rs 120 crore. “It is left to the discretion of ward committees to utilise the funds based on prioritisation,” it said, adding that states like Haryana and Rajasthan are in the process of implementing it.

Earlier, Kamal hoisted his party’s flag at Alwarpet marking the fifth founding day of MNM. He stressed on poll irregularities and Dravidian majors spending lavishly for councillors elections.