The absence of senior officers at the monthly session of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation on Thursday triggered a sharp reaction from chairperson Mala Roy.

Roy said as long as the mayor was in the house attending the session, the officers should have been there too.

Sources in the civic body told Metro that a circular issued by the KMC commissioner — who is also the district election officer (DEO) for Kolkata North — had directed some officers to visit Khudiram Anushilan Kendra to inspect arrangements at the strong room where EVMs are stored.

An Election Commission official said that senior police officers had been asked to visit the Kendra only once a day. “The visit was to be carried out alongside all other duties,” the official said.

The chairperson of KMC said senior officers should be present in the house while a session is underway, as the mayor may seek their help while replying to questions from councillors.

“If someone issues a circular and belittles the house....This is the house of the people of 144 wards of Calcutta,” she said.

The chairperson is the presiding officer of the monthly KMC session, where all councillors get an opportunity to flag problems and ask questions on civic services.

Usually, chief engineers and heads of various departments are present in the House. On Thursday, however, only four chief engineers and department heads were in attendance

“When the mayor is attending the session, the officers should have been here. I do not know how the officers remained absent from the session,” she added, before the end of the session.

Earlier, while starting the monthly session, Roy referred to the KMC’s (Procedure and Conduct of Business)
Rules, 1984. The Assembly polls in the 17 constituencies that are part of the Calcutta municipal area were held on Wednesday.

“The councillors, as well as those who were candidates, worked very hard over the last one and a half months. We had to call this session today because the Rules say that one session has to be held every month,” she said.