Dibrugarh Municipal Board (DMB) chairperson Soma Chakraborty who is facing rebellion from her own party members got a temporary relief from the Gauhati High Court as it directed the rebel ward commissioners not to proceed with the recent resolution to remove her from the post.
On October 31, ten BJP ward commissioners in the 22-member Dibrugarh Muncipal Board had brought a no-confidence motion against the BJP chairperson.
The rebel ward commissioners alleged that chairperson Soma Chakraborty has been functioning in an arbitrary manner and is involved in corruption and anomalies.
The no-trust motion was supported by five Congress ward commissioners and the sole Independent member. Though Chakraborty was not present during the floor test, the rebel ward commissioners took a resolution removing her from the post of chairperson with immediate effect.
Chakraborty who termed her removal as arbitrary and illegal filed a writ petition (WP (C) 7684/2018) at Gauahati High Court challenging her removal from the post of chairperson. The High Court in its order dated November 9 directed the respondents not to proceed further in terms of the impugned resolution taken on October 31 and allowed Soma Chakraborty to continue as chairperson of the board till its next hearing. The court has fixed December 13 as the date for next hearing.
The rebel ward commissioners had earlier alleged that since her appointment as chairperson Chakraborty had been acting in an autocratic manner and had failed to convene a single official board meeting as per provision of the Assam Municipality Act, 1956.