MCC mayor bans use of mobile phone during house sessions

MCC mayor bans use of mobile phone during house sessions

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Feb 18, 2012: Praveen Anchan, the mayor of Mangalore City Corporation (MCC), has banned the use of mobile phones during house sessions at the MCC’s general session held on Feb 17 Friday. This decision is influenced by the fact that three ministers had to resign because they were caught on TV channel cameras viewing porn during a legislative assembly session.

Right at the beginning of the session, Ashraf of the opposition party raised this topic, stating that the media is keeping an eye on all elected representatives, owing to which it is not wise on the part of corporators to use their mobile phones during house sessions.

However, Corporator Mariamma Thomas opposed the idea of banning use of mobile phones during house sessions, stating that each session lasts for three hours and corporators need to be available to the public.

But the mayor ruled against the use of mobile phones in session and adjourned the session.

Post adjournment, Corporator K. Madhukiran wanted to know if mobile phones should never be brought into the house or only should not be used during session. Expressing unwillingness to keep expensive mobile phones outside the house during sessions, as they can get stolen, he demanded that the mayor make his ruling clear.

The mayor clarified that mobile phones can be brought inside the house, but must be either switched off or kept in silent mode. Those who need to use the mobile phone during the session must go out of the house in order to use it, he added.