Patna, June 27: Forty Patna Municipal Corporation councillors moved a no-confidence motion against mayor Afzal Imam today for his failure to discharge civic duties and misbehaviour.

The norms stipulate that a no-confidence motion should be ideally accepted by the mayor but Imam was absent today. So, the memorandum was submitted with his personal secretary Awadhesh Kumar Singh and a copy handed to municipal commissioner (in charge) Shirsat Kapil Ashok, who also forwarded it to the mayor's secretary.

Now, the date for a special meeting on the motion has to be fixed within seven days by the mayor. If he fails to do so, the municipal commissioner upon request of the ward councillors in opposition would finalise the date.

This is the second no-confidence motion moved against Imam since last year. Imam sailed through the voting process on June 26 last year, as the motion fell short of majority by one vote.

Vinay Kumar Pappu, a former deputy mayor, said: "It is an irony that a no-confidence motion was defeated by only one vote in favour of the motion. Mayor Imam lacked majority then and he is far from majority even today. Now that 40 councillors have submitted a no-confidence motion against him, Imam should resign from the post of mayor immediately on moral grounds."

The opposing councillors have levelled various charges of negligence in civic services and misconduct in discharging duties on Imam's part for moving the no-confidence motion. "It is due to negligence of the mayor that the city is devoid of even the basic civic services such as drinking water and sanitation. Besides, he has misbehaved with PMC officials as well as several councillors," said Deepak Chaurasiya, the ward No. 2 councillor.

Imam has been accused of failing to execute solid waste management projects and sanctioning Rs 50 lakh to all 72 councillors for ward development and presenting a late budget among others.

Imam, however, said: "The allegations are totally baseless. I have discharged my responsibilities to the best of my abilities. Bringing a no-confidence motion is a democratic process and I welcome it."

According to Section 25 (4) of the Bihar Municipal Act, 2007, a no-confidence motion can be brought against the mayor upon a requisition made in writing by not less than one-third of the total number of councillors. Shirsat said: "The mayor is expected to fix a date for a special meeting within seven days. The meeting would be held in 15 days after that and would be chaired by the deputy mayor (Roop Narayan Mehta)."

The meeting would invite a debate on the motion, followed by voting for the motion. If 37 or more councillors - more than 50 per cent of the total strength of the Patna Municipal Corporation board (72) - vote for the motion, the incumbent mayor would be removed and the municipal commissioner would recommend the urban development and housing department to hold fresh elections for the civic body.