Nominated councillors to get development funds
Until now, only elected councillors received financial support under the Councillor Local Area Development Fund to carry out civic works in their wards. However, a recent proposal passed by the MCD House has extended the same funding privileges to the ten nominated councillors appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi.
These aldermen, although unelected, have long held the right to attend and speak in corporation meetings and participate in zone-level discussions. However, the absence of funding limited their ability to initiate or oversee developmental work.
The newly passed provision now allows nominated councillors to receive equal funding whenever allocations are made to elected members. This move is expected to empower them to address civic issues directly within the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) areas.
Nominated councillor Manoj Jain welcomed the decision, calling it a much-needed and practical step. 'People approach nominated councillors with problems related to parks, street lighting, and broken pavements. Earlier, we could only raise these issues-now we'll be able to solve them,' Jain said. He noted that in areas like Daryaganj, where the elected representative is from the Aam Aadmi Party, several local issues were overlooked. 'I have already secured approval for road and park repairs there through my efforts,' he added.
According to the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, Section 3(3)(b)(i), ten individuals above the age of 25 with special knowledge or experience in municipal affairs are nominated by the Administrator (Lieutenant Governor) to serve as councillors.
While these nominated councillors cannot vote in the main corporation meetings, they are allowed to vote in ward committee matters and in elections to the MCD Standing Committee, and can even stand as candidates for that influential body.
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Time of India
11 hours ago
- Time of India
Embassy of West Arctica in Ghaziabad? Police bust fake missions of non-existent nations in Kavi Nagar
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The Print
11 hours ago
- The Print
Ghaziabad embassy fraud sheds light on world of ‘micronations'
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'The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is our medium for correspondence in cases that go beyond the territories of India, and here, these unrecognised entities don't have such a legal system in place,' the officer said, noting the complexities of the matter. The case not only exposed lapses in local intelligence systems but also turned attention to the peculiar world of micronations — a concept still largely outside academic and legal frameworks in India. According to a 2014 research paper 'Islands and Micronationality' by academic Philip Hayward, 'Micronations are largely notional entities. They are territories that have been declared independent by individuals or groups despite the minimal likelihood of their being recognised as independent by any established nation state or international body.' Hayward distinguishes these entities from 'microstates' like Niue or Tokelau, which are legally recognised despite small populations. Unlike them, micronations are often ideological projects or artistic experiments that exist without borders or international validation. 'Westarctica,' one of the micronations Jain claimed to represent, is a non-profit founded by a former US Navy officer who styles himself as 'Grand Duke.' Its website says it 'seeks to engage technology and people in service of the environment while pursuing sovereignty for Western Antarctica.' The entity claims to have a head of state, prime minister and ministers for culture, foreign affairs, and even defence. 'Seborga' is a village on the Italian-French border with symbolic governance. It has a princess, crown councillors and even foreign representatives but no banks, casinos or hospitals. Its website clarifies: 'While the Principality of Seborga has long claimed its historical and cultural identity, in the current legal framework it operates in full compliance with Italian law. All its activities are carried out solely in a symbolic and cultural form and are managed by a duly registered 'associazione di promozione sociale', established under Italian legislation.' 'Ladonia,' located in southern Sweden, markets itself as a haven for free speech and art. Claiming over 30,000 non-resident citizens and 125 ministries, its website states: 'Ladonia is a peaceful and evolving model of cultural and artistic sovereignty in a post-national era, demonstrating that new nations can emerge through diplomacy, creativity, and shared ideals — without conflict or political upheaval.' Speaking to PTI, Assistant Professor of International Law at Lucknow University, Bhanu Pratap, explained why micronations have no standing under current international law. 'As far as micronations are concerned they are not subject matter of international law per se because they do not come within the traditional understanding of statehood. Article one of the Montevideo Convention mentions the rights and duties of a state, which are Population, Territory, Government and the ability to exercise formal relations with other countries.' Pratap noted that a UN committee once considered the idea of 'Lilliput Nations' but rejected it. 'Today, the only valid entity is the State. Either you are a state or not.' He compared the case to the self-styled 'nation' of Kailasa founded by fugitive Indian spiritual leader Nithyanand, which too has 'no legal standing.' Referencing the principle of 'Uti possidetis,' Pratap elaborated, 'On the date of your independence, whatever the map of your independent country is, it is considered final and now no more countries can be created using self-determination as a cause… The most factual question that we should ask is independence against what and why the independence?' Micronations have also yet to find serious consideration in Indian academia. 'You have nation states, legally recognised states, sovereign independent states. There are some which are struggling for independence… But in academics and political science, we don't have this term called micronations. I have never come across this word in textbooks,' said Prof Rajpal Budania of the Political Science department at the University of Allahabad. The International Relations expert warned that such entities could be used for 'malafide purposes with malicious intentions, like the case in Ghaziabad. It's unfortunate that a man could pull off something like this, and it is a failure of the police and intelligence.' He added that if the phenomenon shows relevance to society or global politics, 'then it should definitely be studied.' PTI KIS MAN AMJ AMJ This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
New Indian Express
14 hours ago
- New Indian Express
A nation of one: Ghaziabad ‘fake embassy' case shines light on micronations and legal grey zones
LUCKNOW: A bizarre fraud case uncovered in Ghaziabad, near Delhi, has thrown the spotlight on the little-known world of "micronations" — self-declared entities that mimic the structures of real countries but lack legal recognition. The Uttar Pradesh police is also at its wits' end as it faces a unique case with no precedence to follow. The UP Special Task Force on July 22 arrested 47-year-old Harsh Vardhan Jain from Ghaziabad for running "embassies" of four micronations — Westarctica, Seborga, Poulbia and Ladonia — from a rented house. Claiming to be their "ambassador," Jain possessed forged diplomatic plates, luxury cars and official seals. Police are probing alleged overseas job scams, hawala links and counterintelligence activities. Custody plea is pending in court. They are also examining statements by Westarctica and Seborga for possible use in the investigation. "The problem is that there is no reference point for us also to deal with cases that involve something called a micronation," a senior UP police officer told PTI. "The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is our medium for correspondence in cases that go beyond the territories of India, and here, these unrecognised entities don't have such a legal system in place," the officer said, noting the complexities of the matter. The case not only exposed lapses in local intelligence systems but also turned attention to the peculiar world of micronations — a concept still largely outside academic and legal frameworks in India. According to a 2014 research paper 'Islands and Micronationality' by academic Philip Hayward, "Micronations are largely notional entities. They are territories that have been declared independent by individuals or groups despite the minimal likelihood of their being recognised as independent by any established nation state or international body."
