Councillors of the DMK-led Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) Council alleged at the Council meeting on Wednesday (July 29, 2026) that the State government was denying the elected representatives of the city’s local administration their rights.

At the meeting, Egmore DMK councillor Parithi Elamsurithi, AIADMK councillor T. Sathyanathan, and BJP councillor Uma Anandan urged Mayor R. Priya to press the Tamil Nadu government for release of ward development funds (₹60 lakh a year for each Greater Chennai Corporation councillor). They alleged that the funds had not been released even after the Model Code of Conduct was lifted after the Assembly poll.

Chennai Mayor R. Priya said there had been a delay in releasing the funds and that a request had been submitted to the Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) Department.

Both Deputy Mayor M. Magesh Kumaar and Ms. Anandan pointed out that the urban local body elections were seven months away, and only if the funds were allocated in the next few months could they be earmarked for a project, receive administrative sanction, float tenders and issue a work order. Many councillors of the AIADMK, VCK, CPI, and CPI (M) also supported this demand during the Zero Hour.

GCC Commissioner G.S.Sameeran said the ward development funds of ₹60 lakh a year for each councillor was drawn from GCC’s capital funds.

He explained about the civic body’s ₹1,970-crore deficit apart from loans, pending bills worth ₹2,000 crore to contractors, and payment dues for NULM workers. This situation can be improved by stepping up property tax collection, and regulating underassessed properties, he added.

Taking additional loans, apart from municipal bonds, could affect the Corporation’s credit rating. A decision on releasing the ward development funds would be taken after discussions with the Mayor, he said.

Following complaints about lack of official coordination with elected representatives of Chennai Corporation, Mayor R. Priya said the councillors and ward committee chairpersons must also be invited to inauguration of projects in their respective wards. Politics and administration are different, she noted.

The remarks came after Ward 99 (Egmore) councillor Parithi Elamsuruthi of the DMK raised concerns over councillors being left out of such events.

Anna Nagar Zone Ward Committee Chairperson K.P. Jain said neither he nor the ward councillor had been invited to the inauguration of the recently renovated Bougainvillaea Park by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister K A. Sengottaiyan.

Following this, Mayor R. Priya said councillors had also not been invited to Greater Chennai Corporation polio immunisation events. She asked Commissioner G.S. Sameeran to issue zone-wise circular directing officials to coordinate with councillors and committee chairpersons.

Valasaravakkam Zone Chairperson V. Rajan alleged that GCC officials were not participating in ward committee meetings even after the meetings were scheduled at a time after consulting with the authorities.

Further, many unsafe illegal banners are being erected by the elected representatives of the State government, which needs to be inspected and curbed, the Mayor said.

Published - July 30, 2026 05:00 am IST