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.

Updated on: Apr 30, 2026, 23:26:35 IST

By Leena Dhankhar

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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.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More

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