Chennai Corporation councillors accuse Tamil Nadu government of denying their rights
Councillors of the Greater Chennai Corporation are demanding the release of their annual ward development funds, which have been delayed despite the lifting of the Model Code of Conduct. Officials cite a significant municipal budget deficit and pending contractor payments as reasons for the financial strain.
Why it matters
The dispute illustrates the tension between local governance needs and the fiscal challenges faced by urban administrative bodies in India.
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.
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