In an unexpected turn of turn of events, mayoral election in Chandigarh, which was scheduled to begin at 11 am on Thursday, has been deferred indefinitely due to the poor health of presiding officer Anil Masih.
Polls were to be held to elect a new mayor, senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor. The sudden postponement of polls has sparked a controversy as candidates from the AAP-Congress alliance were reportedly apprehended, while municipal councillors were denied access to the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation.
The security apparatus for the election had been bolstered with the deployment of 500 police personnel.
Later in the evening, a petition that was filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the postponement of the mayoral election. The petition, filed on behalf of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress, has demanded a fair election.
The unfolding developments suggest a complex political scenario emerging, with allegations and counter-allegations creating uncertainty around the fate of the mayoral election in Chandigarh.
Congress Senior and Former Union Minister Pawan Bansal accused the BJP of obstructing the electoral process and preventing Congress workers and councillors from entering the Municipal Corporation office.
Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Davinder Singh Babla laid blame on Congress and AAP for allegedly disrupting the electoral atmosphere. He claimed ignorance about the hospital where the ailing Presiding officer Anil Masih was admitted.
Aam Aadmi Party leader and Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha arrived at the municipal corporation, advocating for the appointment of another election officer. He accused the BJP of orchestrating delays and cancellations.
The Chandigarh Congress team and AAP team councillors were huddled inside the Punjab CM’s residence for further strategic plans.
Within the 35-member Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, the BJP has 14 councillors, AAP 13, and the Congress 7. Additionally, the Shiromani Akali Dal is represented by one councillor.