Odisha govt appoints administrators for 65 ULBs

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government appointed administrators as the tenure of 65 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Berhampur Municipal Corporation expired on Saturday.

The government move came as elections for the civic bodies could not be initiated due to legal impediments.

The government appointed Ganjam district collector as the administrator to exercise powers and discharge the duty of Berhampur Municipal Corporation and its Mayor.

The collector will be in the charge during the interval period between the expiry of the term of the office of the corporators of the corporation till the date of first meeting of the newly elected corporators, said a notification of Housing and Urban Development department.

The government also appointed several officials as administrators for the 65 ULBs in the state. Several officials including district collectors, additional district magistrates and sub-collectors have been appointed as administrators to be in-charge of the ULBs.

The State Election Commission (SEC) had asked the state government to take steps towards the management of the ULBs and the corporation as the tenure of those expire on Saturday.

“As per the constitutional mandate, the elected representatives of these bodies cannot function beyond five year tenure which ends on 29.09.2018,” SEC secretary U.N. Das wrote to the Housing and Urban Development secretary.

Das said the delimitation of wards and reservation of seats of the ULBs, the foremost requirement before the commission takes up preparation of the electoral roll and conduct of elections, has not yet been received from the government on grounds of legal impediments. (IANS)