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Mohali mayor responds to show-cause notice, says never derived financial benefit from coop society
In his five-page response, the Mohali mayor said the allegations levelled against him were politically motivated
Mayor Amarjit Singh Sidhu responded to the show-cause notice issued over his alleged membership of a firm that has been carrying out development works in the city on Friday.
In his five-page response, which has been submitted to Punjab local bodies department additional chief secretary Vivek Pratap Singh, the Mohali mayor said the allegations levelled against him were politically motivated and that all municipal corporation (MC) projects had been allotted in a transparent manner, without any bias.
He asserted that he had never derived any financial benefit from Amritpreet Cooperative Society, which he is a member of, and he had never recommended that tenders be allotted to the society.
Apart from holding the mayor’s chair, Sidhu is also the chairman of the MC finance and contract committee, which has the authority to approve development works worth up to ₹1 crore.
On September 17, seeking a response within two weeks, local bodies principal secretary Vivek Pratap Singh had asked Sidhu to explain why he should not be removed from the post of councillor under Section 36 (F) of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act for violating Section 63 of the Act. Under Section 63 of the Act, a councillor cannot vote in a matter in which he has personal advantage.
The Opposition has accused Sidhu of allotting 12 tenders worth around ₹1.5 crore to this society, which is a violation of the Act. Earlier, Sidhu had approached the Punjab and Haryana high court requesting it to quash the notice, but the court dismissed his plea, and ordered him to respond within 15 days.
