Patna, July 20: The councillors of Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) have decided to convene a special meeting to pass a resolution for the removal of PMC commissioner Divesh Sehara after he played truant in the civic body’s board meeting called by him today.

Mayor Afzal Imam said he would write a letter to Sehara to call the meeting as soon as possible.

Sources said today’s meeting was cancelled after it emerged that Sehara, who remained absent without any prior information, had not authorised any other administrative official to take forward the meeting.

“This is the first time that a corporation board meet- ing was called without any agenda for discussion. We were only informed a few days ago that the meeting would be held today. But it was cancelled because the commissioner did not turn up. He also did not feel the need to authorise any other official on his behalf. It clearly shows that he has taken us for granted. We cannot accept this any longer,” Imam told The Telegraph.

A spokesperson for the commissioner, however, said Sehara could not be available for today’s meeting because of his “busy schedule”.

“If the commissioner has some important meeting in the urban development department or a court hearing, he cannot be present at the board meeting. Today, several administrative and executive officials were present for the meeting. The councillors should understand the commissioner’s compulsions,” said the spokesperson.

Imam said he would write a letter to the commissioner to convene a special corporation board meeting tomorrow.

“According to Bihar Municipal Act, a special meeting has to be held to pass a resolution for the commissioner’s removal. We will try to call the meeting as soon as possible,” he added.

He also said: “This is not only the highhandedness and autocratic attitude of the commissioner. What he is doing is against the democratic values also.”

Earlier, the councillors had also objected to the commissioner’s move to call today’s meeting without setting a detailed agenda. According to the tradition, the details of agenda are sent to councillors a week before a meeting.

“It is ridiculous that the meeting is being called without any set agenda. We have been called for the meeting but do not know what will be discussed. I doubt if people sitting at the helm of affairs in the corporation are serious about its functioning,” said a councillor.