Chandigarh mayoral elections on Jan 30; HC orders videography for transparency
Chandigarh mayoral electons: In a significant development, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday ordered the impartial and transparent conduct of the mayoral elections for the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation on January 30 at 10 am. The High Court issued directives to the Chandigarh Administration to ensure that on the day of the elections, no councillor will be allowed to bring their supporters or any security personnel along.
The Chandigarh Administration has been instructed to provide complete security to these councillors, and no councillor will be permitted to bring security personnel during the mayoral elections. The Chandigarh Police will be responsible for ensuring the overall security arrangements during the electoral process.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court orders also state that no political activities will be allowed near the visitor's gallery. Additionally, the entire election process will be videographed in compliance with the law. The Chandigarh Administration has been directed to adhere to these instructions to uphold the integrity and fairness of the Chandigarh mayoral elections.
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In an unexpected twist of events, the eagerly awaited Chandigarh mayoral elections in the city were abruptly postponed at the eleventh hour due to the reported unwellness of the presiding officer, Anil Masih. The announcement, made just an hour before the scheduled 11 am election time through the official WhatsApp group of councillors, sparked protests and heightened drama outside the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation's gate.
AAP and Congress councillors, denied entry by barricades set up by the police, staged a sit-in on the road, expressing discontent and accusing the ruling BJP of using the presiding officer's health as a pretext to delay the election. Subsequently, UT Deputy Commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh declared that the elections for the Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor, and Deputy Mayor positions would now take place on February 6, with Anil Masih continuing as the presiding officer.
The decision was attributed to the security and law-and-order concerns raised by the Senior Superintendent of Police, UT, Chandigarh, in conjunction with the hospitalisation of the appointed Presiding Authority Anil Masih due to illness, as reported by the Medical Superintendent of GMSH-16.
However, earlier on Tuesday, the Punjab and Haryana High Court granted the Chandigarh Administration one day to provide the schedule for the mayoral elections initially planned for January 18, which got postponed due to Anil Masih's reported illness on that day.
A petition by AAP councillor Kuldeep Kumar, seeking the resumption of polls within 24 hours and the appointment of a court commissioner to oversee the process, was heard by the Bench of Justices Sudhir Singh and Harsh Bunger. The court, acknowledging the political dynamics surrounding the mayoral polls, urged the UT counsel to seek fresh instructions for the earliest possible date, emphasising that elections cannot be delayed for 18 days.
The AAP and the Congress, collaborating for the mayoral polls, accused the BJP of thwarting the elections due to anticipated defeat, a claim the BJP refuted.
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