Fifty percent is the quorum to run the council proceedings. Of the total strength of 215 (150 corporators and 65 ex-officio members), the presence of 108 members was needed to hold the special meeting. However, only about 46 corporators, one MLA and one MLC were present in the hall.

At the scheduled hour, Mayor Banda Karthika Reddy entered the council hall and, after waiting for a while, announced that due to lack of quorum the meeting has been postponed and fresh dates would be announced soon. Corporators of the TDP, the BJP and the MBT who attended in full strength demanded that the Mayor hold the meeting and initiate steps to nominate members to the ward committees.

As the Mayor turned down their demand, the angry opposition corporators rushed to the podium demanding an explanation from her. When she did not respond, they raised slogans against her and the Congress party for `clandestinely postponing the meeting at the behest of the APCC leaders and Chief Minister K Rosaiah’. They even squatted in the corridors of the council hall.

The ward members have to be nominated within 90 days of issuing a notification. As three months have passed since the present notification was issued by the State Government on February 20, the GHMC authorities are going to seek a fresh notification from the Municipal Administration and Urban Development.

TDP floor leader in GHMC Singi Reddy Srinivas Reddy and BJP floor leader Bangari Prakash alleged that the meeting was postponed at the behest of Congress leaders to accommodate candidates recommended by Congress ministers, MPs, MLAs and MLCs.

“As the Congress corporators, ministers, MPs, MLAs and MLCs couldn’t arrive at a consensus on the candidates to be nominated till Tuesday, they decided to skip the meeting and forced even the MIM leadership to follow suit,” they alleged.