TN govt reaffirms removal of 2 city ward members after personal hearings

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has reaffirmed the removal of two ward members of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC).

The government has also revoked the removal order against S Jayapradeep, a ward member of Tambaram Corporation. 

Ward 189 member V Babu and Ward 5 member KP Chokkalingam of the GCC were accused of abusing the powers vested in them and wilfully disobeying the provisions of the Urban Local Bodies Act. Following the allegations, the two members were removed from office in March 2025.

Owing to orders of the Madras High Court, after both members approached the court, the Department of Municipal Administration conducted personal hearings for them.

In an order, department Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi said that after hearing both members individually, their oral statements contradicted the available government records. Therefore, the government decided that both deserved to be removed from office. 

Bedi said there were various reasons for the removal of Ward 189 member Babu, including an allegation that he and his supporters assaulted workers engaged in laying a drinking water pipeline.

Similarly, Ward 5 member Chokkalingam was removed for various reasons, including allegedly obstructing a contractor from laying the road by misusing his powers. Both councillors were removed from office under Section 52 of the Tamil Nadu Local Bodies Act. 

Meanwhile, the removal order against 40th Ward member of Tambaram Corporation, S Jayapradeep, was rescinded following the High Court’s order. He was removed from office by the government in May 2025. Following the legal battle, the government cancelled his removal order.