MCG senior deputy mayor, deputy mayor polls cancelled as mayor skips process

Elections for Gurugram's senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor were canceled due to the mayor's absence, prolonging leadership uncertainty in the MCG.

The elections for the posts of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) were cancelled on Thursday after the mayor, whose presence is mandatory, did not attend the process, officials said.

The delay is expected to prolong uncertainty over key leadership positions within the civic body. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

“The election that was supposed to take place today was cancelled as the mayor did not turn up for the process,” an official said.

Officials indicated that clarity on the revised election schedule is expected soon, with a fresh date likely to be announced after an administrative review. The delay is expected to prolong uncertainty over key leadership positions within the civic body.

In response,mayor Rajrani Malhotra told HT she was unwell and therefore unable to attend the election process.

Voting for the two key posts was scheduled to be held at the Haryana Institute of Public Administration (HIPA). The development comes at a time when political equations within the civic body have been rapidly evolving. The contest for the two posts had drawn significant attention, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) believed to have an edge due to its numbers.

Voting for the two posts is carried out by all 36 councillors of the House and the mayor.

The BJP, which holds the mayor’s post, has a majority in the House with at least 20 councillors.

On Wednesday, Manesar mayor Inderjit Kaur Yadav joined the BJP along with several independent councillors. While this does not impact on the voting numbers, the move was seen as strengthening the party’s position ahead of the election.

The election had already been pending for months due to administrative and legal delays, impacting the functioning of the corporation.