HC rejects plea against Mohali MC delimitation

As per former councillors of Shiromani Akali Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party, 70% seats held by them in the previous House had been recarved or reserved or dereserved to their detriment

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday dismissed a plea challenging the delimitation exercise carried out by the Punjab local bodies department to redraw the boundaries of wards of the Mohali municipal corporation.

The HC bench of justice AG Masih dismissed the plea of Bachan Singh and others who had challenged the exercise on December 2, arguing that it was in violation of the Delimitation of Wards of Municipal Corporation Order, 1995. After hearing, the court had reserved the judgment for final order on December 7. The detailed judgment is awaited.

The petitioner had alleged that objections were moved on October 29. However, neither the objections were decided by passing a speaking order by the competent authority nor any survey of the population was conducted.

As per former councillors of Shiromani Akali Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party, 70% seats held by them in the previous House had been recarved or reserved or dereserved to their detriment. The five-year term of the House ended on April 26 this year. Among the 50 wards, 25 have been reserved for women besides five for scheduled castes (including two for women) and two for backward classes (men). The elections are slated for February next year.