“Un-electing” our leaders – Chhattisgarh shows the way

Surendra Srivastava of Loksatta alerted me to this news: Chhattisgarh: People recall 3 local body chiefs

For the first time in the history of Chhattisgarh, people of three urban local bodies have recalled their chairpersons after a vote, a top election official said.

“As per Section 47 of the Chhattisgarh Municipality Act 1961 through recall votes three chairpersons of an equal number of urban local bodies had lost their seats on Tuesday,” Chief Election Commissioner of Chhattisgarh, Dr Sushil Trivedi told reporters.

…The Act says a president can be recalled through a secret ballot if a majority of more than half of the total number of votes of the municipal area casting the vote are against the people’s representative, Trivedi said.

…(Trivedi said)…for the first time in the history of Chhattisgarh the people took part in such a recall vote and all the three heads of the respective local bodies lost their seats.

Does anyone have more details? In particular do other municipalities have similar clauses? Has a similar things ever happened elsewhere in India?

In any case, this is great news and ought to be welcomed….The people should not only have the right to elect but also to “un-elect” non-performing leaders and politicians…