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Citizens unable to get approvals without bribes: Madras HC raps Chennai Corporation

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The Madras High Court, on Tuesday, rapped the Greater Chennai Corporation for widespread corruption within the body, causing frustration among the citizens to get things done.

A single-judge bench with Justice SM Subramaniam was hearing a plea from a petitioner who requested the court to order for the removal of a generator that was allegedly placed in front of her house illegally. Refusing to accept a submission by D Karthikeyan, the Corporation Commissioner, the judge remarked that people are unable to get approvals, certificates and documents from the corporation without paying bribes to the officials and are ‘absolutely frustrated’ due to this.

According reports, the court said that the refusal is because the action initiated by the Corporation so far to minimise unauthorised and illegal constructions in the city, is not satisfactory.

Demanding to know if inspections were conducted by the Corporation officials to ensure that all buildings had the necessary approvals, the court ordered the Commissioner to submit a report describing the situations and process by which each case of corruption was carried out by various officials in the corporation.

The court ordered the Corporation Commissioner to submit a report by August 27 giving details on the nexus between the corporation, police, metro water and electricity.

The court also wanted to know the number of cases booked by the Vigilance Cell of the Corporation under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the action taken in those cases. 

The court also directed the Commissioner to clarify whether the property details of the Corporation officials was verified by the statutory body. The judge ordered action to be initiated against officials who had failed to collect property tax promptly leading to a huge loss to the public exchequer, according to The Hindu.

Source: The News Minute