IMC comm ‘clips wings’ of parshad-patis, says they are not welcome in meetings

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): In a scene straight out of the web series Panchayat, municipal commissioner Harshika Singh here on Tuesday asked husbands of women corporators not to attend civic body meetings on behalf of their spouses as she would not allow them to do so.

At a meeting on Tuesday, she categorically stated that the elected (women) corporators are competent enough to keep their views on issues during IMC meetings so their spouses are not welcome.

Singh was chairing a meeting of corporators and officials when the husband of a woman corporator tried to speak on behalf of his better half. To this, Singh objected saying that spouses of (women) corporators are not eligible to attend IMC meetings or speak on their behalf. To this, the husband of the corporator tried to leave the meeting hall in a huff. Some officials stopped him saying he should stay this time but ensure that the system is followed from next time.

However, Singh said, “She is very clear that elected corporators can keep their views (in IMC meetings) so nobody should turn up on their behalf. For others, they can come to my office to tell about their issues.”

After listening to this, some persons sitting on behalf of spouses left the meeting hall.

In the web series Panchayat, the actor playing the district collector stops Raghuver Yadav (sarpanch’s husband) from hoisting the national flag on behalf of her wife Neena Gupta (sarpanch).