Dumka: A Sept 18 directive by the municipal commissioner of Deoghar Municipal Corporation (DMC), making it compulsory for officials, employees, ward councillors, mayor and the deputy mayor to display their identity cards to gain entry to the civic body’s office, has upset the city’s corporators.Claiming that the directive undermines their status, ward councillors called the move autocratic and demanded its rollback.Municipal commissioner Sulochana Meena issued the directive following a strike which was called by the civic body staff last week following an alleged objectionable remark made by the husband of a woman councillor against a municipal employee. The strike was withdrawn following Meena’s assurances.Though employees backed the new arrangement, councillors opposed the directive and said as elective representatives, they frequent the civic body office to address ward-related issues and should not be required to prove their identity. “This is an autocratic move which undermines the dignity of elected representatives,” Deoghar deputy mayor Tip Chatterjee said.Meena rejected the criticism, saying the identity card system was not aimed at restricting the access of councillors. “It should not be seen as a rigid rule but as a measure to keep unauthorised visitors out of the premises,” she said.Mayor Ravi Raut, who is currently out of town, said he would discuss the issue with officials on his return.
