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HC notice to Haryana on pending elections of Panchkula senior dy mayor, deputy mayor
The petition has been filed by Congress councillor Akshaydeep Chaudhary. Despite clear mandates under the Municipal Corporation Act, 1994, and the Haryana Municipal Corporation Election Rules, 1994, which require these elections to be held within 60 days of the notification of newly elected municipal councillors, the positions have remained vacant for more than three years since December 2020, the plea claimed.
The Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday sought response from the Haryana government on a plea seeking directions to hold elections for the post of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor of Panchkula municipal corporation, pending for the past over three years.
The Panchkula MC is ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party with Kulbhushan Goyal as its mayor.
The petition has been filed by Congress councillor Akshaydeep Chaudhary. Despite clear mandates under the Municipal Corporation Act, 1994, and the Haryana Municipal Corporation Election Rules, 1994, which require these elections to be held within 60 days of the notification of newly elected municipal councillors, the positions have remained vacant for more than three years since December 2020, the plea claimed.
The HC bench of justice Sudhir Singh and justice Harsh Bunger has sought response from Haryana government by March 13.
“The inaction undermines the democratic process and deprives the residents of Panchkula of their right to be represented in the corporation’s governance. It also violates the specific provisions of the Municipal Corporation Act, 1994, and the Haryana Municipal Corporation Election Rules, 1994, alongside infringing upon Articles 243 R and 243S of the Constitution of India, which mandate regular elections for maintaining the essence of democratic governance at the municipal level,” the plea argued.
