GCC council meets after 4-month gap amid TVK portrait row, civic backlog
Synopsis
The Greater Chennai Corporation council is back after a four-month silence — and the backlog is real. From unfinished drains to a politically charged debate over displaying CM Vijay's portrait, Wednesday's session is the first test of whether elected representatives can reclaim ground lost during the election-driven freeze.
Key Takeaways
The GCC council met on 24 June 2025 for the first time in four months , after a break caused by Assembly elections and the Model Code of Conduct.
28 resolutions are on the agenda; 12 councillors have submitted questions for discussion.
The DMK dominates the council with 153 members , backed by Congress, VCK, CPI(M), CPI, and IUML allies.
Four councillors from AIADMK and AMMK have reportedly joined the TVK ; the corporation has received no formal communication on the switches.
Key civic complaints include night-time power outages, incomplete stormwater drains, poor road restoration, and irregular tanker water supply.
A politically sensitive question over displaying CM C.
Joseph Vijay's portrait in the council hall is expected to surface during the session.
The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) council convened on Wednesday, 24 June 2025 for the first time in four months, resuming after a prolonged break triggered by the Assembly elections and the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct. The session, dominated by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) with 153 members, is being closely watched by residents and political observers alike.
Key Developments on the Agenda
Corporation officials confirmed that 28 resolutions are scheduled to be placed before the council, while 12 councillors have submitted questions for discussion. Among the issues expected to surface are long-pending civic grievances — including frequent night-time power outages, incomplete stormwater drain works, poor road restoration, and irregular tanker water supply — that residents say have gone unaddressed during the council's absence.
Politically, all eyes are on whether the council will take up the question of displaying Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's portrait in the council hall — a matter that has already emerged in several local bodies across Tamil Nadu since the Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) assumed office.
Party Arithmetic and Defections
The DMK retains firm control of the council with 153 members, supported by allies including 13 Congress members, four from the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), two each from the CPI(M) and CPI, and one from the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). Notably, four councillors from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) have reportedly shifted allegiance to the TVK in recent months.
Corporation officials, however, stated that no formal communication regarding party switches has been received. Under existing rules, councillors who change parties are not automatically disqualified — provided the required intimation is submitted by both the councillor and their original party.
What Councillors Said
R. Jayaraman, CPI(M) councillor from Ward 4, said the four-month gap had severely curtailed opportunities for elected representatives to raise public concerns. He specifically highlighted repeated resident complaints about night-time power cuts, unfinished drain infrastructure, and erratic drinking water supply.
Nethaji U. Ganesan, DMK councillor and Tondiarpet Zonal Chairman, welcomed the commencement of a long-delayed road overbridge at a railway level crossing in North Chennai. He simultaneously criticised the civic administration and police for implementing traffic diversions between Vaidyanathan Bridge and R.K. Nagar Junction without consulting local councillors — a move he said caused severe congestion during peak morning hours.
Valasaravakkam Zonal Chairman V. Rajan questioned the delay in reconvening the council, pointing out that the election code had been lifted as far back as 6 May.
What Comes Next
The session marks the council's return to routine governance after an unusually long hiatus. Whether substantive civic resolutions advance — or political theatre over the TVK portrait dominates the session — will set the tone for GCC's functioning in the months ahead.
Point of View
Road fixes, and water supply resolutions that only the council can formally approve. The DMK's dominance is not in question, but the real test is whether Wednesday's session addresses the civic backlog or gets consumed by the TVK portrait debate, which, however symbolically important to the ruling alliance, does nothing for flooded streets in North Chennai. The defection of AIADMK and AMMK councillors to TVK also deserves scrutiny: the rules permit it, but the absence of formal communication suggests a grey-zone process that the corporation has quietly chosen not to examine.
NationPress
24 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Greater Chennai Corporation council not meet for four months?
The GCC council's meetings were suspended due to the Assembly elections and the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct. The election code was lifted on 6 May, but the council reconvened only on 24 June 2025 — a gap that several councillors publicly criticised.
What is the TVK portrait controversy at the GCC?
A debate has emerged in several Tamil Nadu local bodies over whether to display Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's portrait in council halls since the TVK assumed office. The issue is expected to surface at the GCC session, though it has not been formally listed on the agenda.
How many resolutions are on the GCC council agenda for 24 June?
Corporation officials confirmed that 28 resolutions will be placed before the council, with 12 councillors having submitted questions for discussion.
Which party dominates the Greater Chennai Corporation council?
The DMK holds the largest bloc with 153 members. Its ruling alliance is further supported by 13 Congress members, four from the VCK, two each from the CPI(M) and CPI, and one from the IUML.
Can councillors who switch parties be disqualified?
Under existing rules, councillors who change political parties are not automatically disqualified, provided the required intimation is submitted by both the councillor and the original party. The GCC has stated it has not yet received any formal communication about the reported switches to TVK.
