Indian-origin Wyndham councillor Intaj Khan who announced his ambition to become Melbourne’s next mayor last week is no more in the race.
Nominations for the by-election to be held in May to determine the next Lord Mayor of Melbourne closed on Monday and Khan’s name is not on the list of candidates.
The councillor who promised to extend trading hours in the CBD to midnight, provide a free ferry to Docklands and double the number of CCTV cameras in a bid to increase public safety while announcing his bid found he is ineligible to be a candidate for the Melbourne Lord Mayor postal ballot.
The Local Government Act prohibits a sitting councillor elsewhere to nominate for the position.
It also does not allow for any one person to serve on two councils at the same time.
“It is unfair. A current Melbourne councillor is allowed to run for this position but I can’t because I am a councillor in another council,” Cr Khan told SBS Hindi.
He had initially declared himself eligible because he is on the Melbourne electoral roll as a property owner and business director.
“I was very excited. I pay rates as I own buildings in the City of Melbourne. I am a ratepayer and therefore I thought I was eligible,” he adds.
Cr Khan told SBS Hindi this morning that he has sought legal advice and has taken up the matter with the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC).
Robert Doyle resigned as Lord Mayor of Melbourne amid a sexual harassment scandal.
The election was called after his resignation.
