There is no legal mechanism to hold specific councilors accountable, says Home Minister Imran Abdulla, adding that this was why the Local Government Authority (LGA) established its own regulations for councils to follow.

Speaking at the decentralization committee, Minister Imran, who is also the head of LGA, said the authority receives numerous complaints of councilors refusing to meet with people, failing to come to the office, and unexpectedly announcing sick leaves and going on holiday.

Highlighting that the LGA established disciplinary guidelines for councilors in November 2013, the Minister said that they also established regulations to take action against councils for unlawful conduct, in July 2016, which resulted in councilors being penalized on various occasions.

He said that LGA had to establish regulations because there was no law to hold councilors accountable.