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Chandigarh mayoral elections to be held on January 30
Punjab and Haryana high court orders councillors not to bring along supporters and security of another state; Chandigarh Police will ensure their security; presiding officer to be nominated by the prescribed authority
The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday ordered the Chandigarh administration to hold the mayoral polls on January 30.
A bench of justices Sudhir Singh and Harsh Bunger was hearing a petition by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Kuldeep Kumar against the administration’s decision to postpone the elections.
In his plea, Kumar had demanded that polls be held within 24 hours. Besides, this plea also demanded the appointment of a court commissioner to oversee the elections.
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The court has ordered that councillors will not bring along supporters, and security of another state. Chandigarh Police have been told to ensure their security.
The court said the election will take place at 10am and the prescribed authority will nominate the presiding officer.
On January 18, the AAP had moved the high court hours after the high-stakes mayoral elections were deferred till February 6.
The announcement of deferment due to the presiding officer and BJP leader Anil Masih’s poor health was announced at 10.30am, just as AAP and Congress councillors were assembling to vote at the municipal corporation office in Sector 17.
The Congress and the AAP, which have joined hands for the mayoral polls, have accused the BJP of not allowing the elections, fearing “imminent defeat”. The BJP dismissed the allegation.
Following a protest and the Opposition’s plea in the high court, Chandigarh deputy commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh issued fresh orders and announced the next date of elections as February 6. Masih was again nominated as the presiding officer.
In the 35-member MC House, the AAP and the Congress together have 20 votes, while the BJP, which has been ruling the MC for eight years, has 15 votes — 14 of councillors and one of MP Kirron Kher. The magic number is 19.
