Upset Bombay HC asks if councillors went to Tamil Nadu to mourn Jayalalithaa

Mumbai: Bombay high court on Thursday reprimanded BMC for saying that its general body meeting to grant approval for setting up of a Doppler Radar could not be held on two occasions because firstly, AIADMK leader J. Jayalalithaa passed away followed by demise of former Mumbai mayor Ramesh Prabhu. The court questioned the civic body whether its corporators had gone to Tamil Nadu to mourn the death of Jayalalithaa.

BMC counsel S.U. Kamdar on Thursday informed a division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice M.S. Sonak that the BMC general body was to meet on December 8 to discuss sanctioning of a site at Aarey Colony for installation of Doppler Radar however the body, comprising corporators, could not meet on the appointed day because of first the demise of Jayalalithaa followed by that of Prabhu.

Mr Kamdar said that on both occasions, the meetings were cancelled after paying condolences to the deceased.

To this, the bench expressed surprise and said that this was the reason why it wanted BMC commissioner to personally remain present in court. Advocate Kamdar however told the bench that the meeting would not be held on Friday following which, the court adjourned hearing till December 20.

The bench was hearing a public interest litigation by advocate Atal Bihari Dubey on heavy rains that brought Mumbai to a standstill in June this year.

While there is one Doppler radar at the Colaba weather station, a state government-appointed committee had recommended setting up of another system in suburban Mumbai.