galending a potrait of Mahatma Gandhi in the Council Hall. The custom of garlanding the portrait is prevalent since 1955. Arupukkottai Councillor Named

The Aruppukkottai Municipal Council on September 30, with Mr. T. Subramaniam in the chair, named Mr. N. M. Srinivasan, for obstructing the Council's proceedings. Mr. Srinivasan refused to withdraw his words and to leave the House. He was removed by the Police, after which the Opposition members staged a walkout. Nagercoil Walkout

Opposition members of Nagercoil Municipal Council on October 22 staged a walkout in protest against the Chairman's refusal to record their remarks about the Commissioner, who, according to them had not adopted a proper procedure in connection with the increase in taxes.

Courtallam Property Tax

A Division Bench of the Madras High Court on October 19 held the levy of property tax by the Courtallam Township Committee with retrospective effect invalid under the provisions of the District Municipalities Act. The bench also struck down as invalid the inclusion of library cess in the demand issued by the Township Committee and the leavy of property tax on a flower garden attached to a Devasthanam in Courtallam.

Civic Address To Vice-President

A civic address was presented to the VicePresident of India, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan by the Dindigul Municipal Council on October 7. The Vice-President in his reply appreciated the cordial atmosphere and relationship that subsisted in the Dindigul Municipal Council and said that no room should be given for political wranglings in municipal affairs, as their main aim was to provide amenities to the citizens.

By-Election To Assembly

Mr. P. Arasu (Congress) was elected on October 20, to the reserved seat in the Madras State Assembly from Chidambaram Constituency. Mr. Arasu defeated his D. M. K. rival by 12,913 votes. The by-election was caused by the death of Swami Sahajanand.

Mysore

Bangalore Corporation Building

The Government of India has refused to part with the open site in the Parade Grounds in Bangalore City for the construction of the Bangalore Corporation building. The foundation stone of Rs. 20 lak building had already been laid four years ago by the Prime Minister, in anticipation of the release of this land by the Defence Ministry in favour of the State Government.

Corporation Walkout

The Deputy Mayor and some Congress Councillors walked out of the Bangalore Corporation meeting on October 14 in protest against the presence of the Health Öfficer, Dr. H. Krishna Rao, in the meeting. The Mayor Mr. Narain Chatty had said the matter was at discussion stage with the State Government and it was better they dealt with it patiently.

Milk Supply Scheme

Mr. N. Rechiah, Mysore Agriculture Minister, said in Bangalore on October 1 that the State Government planned to arrange for milk supply in all towns with a population of over a lak and to start a big poultry form in each district. With the UNICEF aid of Rs. 30 laks in the shape of dairy machinery, it was planned to start a Rs. 1 crore dairy scheme in Bangalore at Subhasnagar. Congress Session

The 65th session of the Indian National Congress will be held in the Palace Orchards grounds inside Bangalore city in January. The Palace Orchards area is now under City Improvement Trust.

Orissa

Reallocation of Portfolios

On October 21 the portfolios of the members of Orissa Cabinet were reallocated consequent on the creation of the Planning and Co-ordination Department. The Chief Minister, Dr. Harekrushra Mahatab bas. assumed charge of the newly created Department in addition to the Departments of the General Branch of the Political Service Department, Home and Education already held by him. Prior to the reallocation Planning

was a branch of the Political Services Department and was held by two Gantantra Parishad Ministers. Mr. R. N. Singh Deo (Gantantra Parishad) holds the portfolios of Finance, Industries, Mining and Geology

and Law.

Bagha Jatin Park

Calcutia's Mayor Mr. B. K. Banerjee, told a meeting in Calcutta on October 14 that Orissa Government has agreed to build a park at the site on the shore of Balasore where martyrs led by Bagha Jatin fell in a gun duel in the anti-British struggle early this century.

Punjab

Civic Elections

The Congress Party won 210 of 479 seats in 57 Municipal committees where elections were held on October 17, according to the first consolidated figures announced on October 28, Mr. Darbara Singh, Punjab PCC chief, who made this claim at a Press conference hoped that the party would annex the presidentship in nearly 40 civic bodies. The overall party-wise break-up as given by him put the figure of independents at 205, of the Jan Sangh at 53, the Communists at six and the PSP at 5. Of the victorious independents 50 were claimed by Mr. Darbara Singh as Congressmen who had contested the seats left "open" by the party in the absence of agreed arrangements and included office-bearers of mandal Congress committees. Besides, he was hopeful of bringing another 70 councillors to the Congress fold.

Mr. Harkishen Singh Surjit, Punjab Communits Party chief, however, described the Congress chief's estimates of the Communists as "fantastic". He put the number of Communist councillors at 30, adding that

most of them had been returned as Indepen

dents.

The State Jan Sangh, reviewing the election results in Ambala on October 27, put the number of successful candidates at 60, even with incomplete information from 'Gurgaon and Hilsar districts. It claimed another 50 as sympathizers.

Election to 71 Municipal committees were to have been held in the second round of

municipal elections in the State, but elections to 14 municipal committees were postponed for one reason or the other. Elections to 43 municipal committees were completed in the first round in February last. Elections to the remaining 71 municipal committees, out of the total of 175 in the State, are expected to be completed during the third round, sometime, in the first half of next year.

This is the first time the Congress has contested the municipal elections as a party in Punjab. In the past Congressmen fought these elections in their individnal capacity and were not sponsored by the organization. Punjabi Suba Demand

The working committee of the All-India Nationalist Sikh Party which ended its twoday-meeting in New Delhi on October 16, passed a resolution opposing the demand for Punjabi Suba and urging upon nationalist Sikhs to dissociate themselves completely from "such communal and harmful demands". The resolution said that the so-called danger of communism in Punjab was mainly the creation of such political parties as had nothing else to stand by. Just becauae Punjab is a border State is no reason why there should be a Punjabi Suba. Explaining the party's stand on Punjabi Suba, Sardar Dasbandha Singh, nationalist Sikh leader said the demand

was a political stunt foisted by Master Tara Singh from time to time to win the support of the Sikh community. Misuse Of Local Bodies Funds

The report of the Local Audit Department of the Punjab State Government for the year 1956-57, published recently, has revealed a number of cases of financial irre

gularities, embezzlement, misuse of funds and lack of proper control over expenditure by District Boards in Punjab. The accounts of a dozen Municipal Committees were in a chaotic condition, those of 74 bodies showed a lack of supervision and unqualified staff were handling the accounts of 15 committees.

Quoting serious irregularities, the report said that the accounts of the educational institutions run by District Boards, work account of Kangra and Karnal District Boards and Tax accounts of Ferozepur, Gurdaspur and Jullundur Districts were not

hept. Tax arrears in District Boards were piling up year by year and according to the report, on March, 31,1957, the arrears were about Rs. 39.41 lakhs. The report further said that the Lehragagga Municipal Committee employed a mali although it does'nt own a park, while a member of the Guruhar Sahai Municipal committee is reported to have gone twice to Delhi to buy rat traps worth Rs. 20 for which the Committee had to spend Rs. 55-12 Annas as travelling allo

wances.

The report said that the unspent balances of conditional grants from the Government have remained with several District Boards since the year 1937-38 without any justification and have not been refunded to the Government. Temporary advances amounting to Rs. 92.24 lakhs were outstanding on March 31, 1957. In some District Boards the temporary advances date back to the year 1944. The reluctance to produce relevant papers, the report adds, tends to suggest that there are irregulaties in their expenditure. Case Against Councillors

The police have registered a case against two councillors, Seth Hari Ram and Bihari Lal, of the Fazlika Municipality, for alleged criminal intimidation and obstruction in the discharge of the functions of a doctor of the civil hospital in Fazilka. The Sub-divisional Magistrate of Fazilka on September 29 rejected a petition for anticipatory bail filed by the two councillors and remanded them in custody.

Corruption Charges Against Civic Chief Mr. Gurdev Singh, Special Judge Ludhiana, on October 7 framed charges against Chanan Ram Bhanot, former President and Executive Officer of the Ludhiana Municipal Committee, under Section 5(1)(D) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Chanan Ram Bhanot, it is alleged, accepted Rs. 400 as a bribe from one Chet Ram to appoint his son as a permanent employee of the Municipal Committee, by superseding other eligible senior employees.

Embezzlement of Municipal Funds

The Chief Justice, Mr. A. N. Bhandari of Punjab High Court on October 19 upheld the conviction and sentence of Kishori Lal, for

mer Secretary of Bhuchu Mandi Municipal Committee (Ferozepur district), and dismissed six petitions challenging the conviction. He had been convicted for embezzling about Rs. 20,000, belonging to the Municipal Committee and sentenced to one year's rigorous imprisonment and fines amounting to Rs. 12,000. Three others, including Mr. Mook Chand, President of the Committee, against whom charges were framed, were acquitted. Administration of Faridabad

The Punjab Government will take over the administration of the Faridabad township, near Delhi from the Central Government, Rao Birendra Singh, Minister for Revenue and Rehabilitation said in Chandigarh on October 14. The Union Rehabilitation Ministry has already transferred the administration of Rajpura township to the State Govern

ment.

Rajasthan

New Municipal Act

The Rajasthan Municipal Act, 1959, aimed at uniformity of municipal administra tion throughout the State, was enforced from October 17. Under the Act, there would be no nominated members in the Municipal Boards; instead the Board will coopt members from the scheduled castes and tribes as the case may be. For better financing of the Municipal Boards, provision has been made for the levy of certain compulsory taxes viz. house tax, octroi and profession tax. The Boards have been given powers to impose taxes which were formerly being collected by Government. All lands situated within municipal limits will be transferred to the Boards unless reserved by the Government for some public purpose. A Rajasthan Municipal Administrative Service has also been created under the provisions of the

new act.

Uttar Pradesh
Corporation Elections..

Elections to the new Corporations in KAVAL Towns (Kanpur, Agra, Varanasi, Allahabad and Lucknow) were held on October 25. The Congress which met reverses in the State Capital and failed to gain a clear

majority in Agra, Varanasi and Allahabad, emerged as the largest single party in the State's industrial capital, Kanpur, where it captured 33 of the 72 seats. In Kanpur the independents secured 27 seats and the remaining 12 seats were shared equally by the P.S.P., the Communists, the Socialists and the Jan Sangh. In Lucknow the Jan Sangh emerged as the biggest single party with 26 seats, followed by Independents with 16 seats, Congress 13, P.S.P. 6 and the Communists 2. In Allahabad out of the 54 seats, Independents secured 19, Congress 17, P.S.P. 10, Jan Sangh 4, Socialists 2. In Agra of the 54 seats, Independents secured 30, Congress 16, Jan Sangh 7 and P. S. P. 1. In the 54-member Varanasi Corporation, Congress secured 17 seats Jan Sangh 14, Communists 6 and Independents 17. Hardwar No Confidence

A motion of no-confidence against the local civic chief Mr. Haridutt Bahuguna was carried by 18 votes to 8 at a special meeting of the Hardwar Municipal Board held on October 12. Four members abstained from voting. Those who voted for the motion were seven Congressmen, six Jan Sanghites, three Independents, one Communist and a Socialist while seven Congressmen and an Independent voted against.

Hapur Executive Officer's Writ

Mr. Justice Tandon dismissed with costs a writ petition of Mr. L.C. Agarwal, challenging the validity of the Uttar Pradesh Government order suspending him from his office as Executive Officer of the Hapur municipal board. The Judge held that the Government which had powers to award punishment, also had the power to suspend pending completion of inquiry. He, therefore, upheld the Government order as valid.

Civic Body To Pay Damages

The Additional Civil Judge, Meerut, has decreed a claim by a woman for Rs. 12,500 for damages against the Meerut Municipal

Board and a house owner. The woman's husband and her 5-year old son were killed on March 2, 1955, when the house they were living in fell on them.

State's Right To Dissolve Board

Mr. Justice Mathur at the Allahabad High Court on October 8 dismissed a writ petition

challenging the validity of the order of the State Government, dissolving the Municipal board of Kairana in Muzaffarnagar district, after a motion of no confidence had been passed against the President. It was contended on behalf of the petitioners that the board should not have been dissolved unless an opportunity was furnished to the members of the board, or at least to the pettitioners who belonged to the rival group to explain the grounds on the basis of which the board was dissolved. His lordship said that the order contemplated by section 47A of the U. P. Municipalities Act was not a judicial or quasi-judicial one. The passing of the order would depend upon the personal satisfaction of the U. P. Government. In case the Government was satisfied that the board as elected should not be able to function properly, it could dissolve the board. One of the grounds for dissolution of the board could be that it was likely in due course a resolution of no-confidence might be passed against the president to be elected in place of one whose resignation was being accepted. The facts as contained in the petition and also the affidavit, His lordship said, by themselves indicated that the board could not have functioned properly. Moradabad Supersession