BJP Corporator Loses Standing Committee Position in Vadodara
In an unprecedented move within Gujarat's Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC), elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator Bandish Shah has been officially removed from the civic body's standing committee due to his prolonged absence from meetings. The decision, formalized on Monday when the Municipal Secretary's office informed the Mayor, has generated significant discussion in political circles about this rare administrative action.
The Legal Basis for Removal
Municipal Secretary Chintan Desai detailed the legal reasoning in his official letter to the Mayor, citing specific provisions of the Gujarat Provincial Municipal Corporations Act, 1949 (GPMC). According to the communication, Bandish Shah, who represents Ward 7 and had been serving on the Standing Committee since September 2023, last attended a meeting on September 20, 2025.
The letter explicitly states: "Thereafter, he has not attended a single Standing Committee meeting till date. As per Section 22 of the GPMC Act, a member of the Standing Committee who remains absent from the meetings for specific periods shall have to vacate his seat... Therefore, since Bandish Shah has remained absent for a continuous period of two months, he ceases to be a member of the Standing Committee."
The relevant section of the legislation specifies that a Standing Committee member automatically loses their position if they are absent during two consecutive months of committee meetings, except in cases of temporary illness or other causes approved by the committee. VMC officials confirmed that Shah had not obtained such formal approval for his absence.
Corporator's Personal Circumstances
Despite the official action, Bandish Shah maintains that he had kept both his political party and the Standing Committee informed about his situation. The corporator explained that his absence resulted from attending to his 91-year-old father's failing health.
"My father is 91 and my mother is 85," Shah revealed. "My father has undergone hospitalization recently after a stroke. Due to his deteriorating health and dementia, I have been busy attending to him and taking him for his medical appointments that coincide with the timing of the Standing Committee meetings."
Shah emphasized that as the only family member available to care for his parents during this difficult time, he had communicated his circumstances to the Standing Committee Chairman and received assurances that his situation would be considered.
Acceptance and Political Implications
Shah learned about his removal through a WhatsApp message, indicating the modern methods of official communication being employed by municipal authorities. Despite his personal circumstances, the corporator expressed acceptance of the decision, acknowledging it as ultimately reflecting the party's position.
"I believe they (Standing Committee members) would have informed the Party President about the decision and it ought to have been the party's decision too," Shah stated. "I am a leader of the party and so I accept it. I have always worked for the people in my own capacity."
Municipal Secretary Chintan Desai characterized the action as purely procedural, emphasizing that the provisions of the Act are sacrosanct and must be followed without exception. This case marks the first instance in VMC's history where a standing committee member has been removed specifically due to prolonged absence, setting a significant administrative precedent for future cases.
The situation highlights the challenging balance between personal responsibilities and public duties faced by elected officials, while simultaneously demonstrating the strict adherence to procedural rules within municipal governance structures.
