Rourkela: A big question haunting the city’s residents is about the withholding of elections to the Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) for over a decade now when elections to the Restricted Market Committee (RMC), which coincidentally shares abbreviation with the former, was held a few months back. For reference, Rourkela received the status of a municipal corporation November 14, 2014 and, in August 2013, the tenure of the last municipal body came to an end. Though, 11 years have passed since then, the industrial town doesn’t have an elected municipal body. After assuming the status of a corporation, some more areas, including a few Gram Panchayats (GPs), were included under the coverage area of the civic body, taking the number of municipal Wards to 40, from the earlier 33.
However, following the move, a section of tribal community came out in opposition to the inclusion of Jagda and Jhartarang GPs in the corporation. They moved the Orissa High Court, under the leadership of George Tirkey who is now with BJD, against the decision and obtained a stay in March 2015. Following this, the fate of RMC remained in suspended animation. In 2021, a writ petition was filed by a former chairman of Rourkela Municipality in the Orissa High Court, urging to direct the then BJD government to hold elections to RMC. He argued that the stay was the over formation of RMC, which would mean that the municipality still exists. Therefore, the Reservation of Seats and Conduct of Election Rules, 1994 are applicable for administration of Rourkela Municipality, he pointed out.
The RMC polls became a major political plank for key contenders during the 2024 Assembly elections. Dilip Ray, contesting on a BJP ticket, had assured that he would ensure early conduct of the RMC elections if voted to power. His opponent, Sarada Nayak, too had promised the same. Meanwhile, when contacted by this correspondent for comments, Nayak said, “I can raise this issue since now I am in the Opposition, and I am doing that. However, it is the duty of the government of the day to act. More so, since their candidate had promised early RMC elections.” Nevertheless, the stalemate over conduct of elections to the important civic body has resulted in inordinate delay in the availability of many basic facilities to the citizens. Late issuance of death and birth certificates can be cited as an example.
