The anticipated repoll for the positions of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, initially slated for Tuesday, faces the likelihood of postponement. Congress candidates Gurpreet Singh and Nirmala Devi have taken legal action by filing a petition before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, contesting the notification that declared the repoll date as February 27.
The legal challenge is based on the argument that the deputy commissioner’s notification, setting the poll date, is in violation of Supreme Court orders. The petitioners contend that elections must adhere to regulations and the law, emphasizing the need for a fresh and lawful conduct.
A legal representative for the Congress candidates stated, “As per Supreme Court orders, the elections have to be conducted as per the regulations and in accordance with the law. And the law says that everything has to be conducted afresh…” The High Court is set to hear the matter on Tuesday at 10 am.
In a strategic move, the BJP currently holds 17 councillors and gains an additional two votes from MP Kirron Kher and an Akali councillor, bolstering its strength to 19 in the 36-member House. On the other side, the Congress-AAP coalition commands 17 votes (Congress – 7, AAP – 10).
Mayor Kuldeep Kumar, recently declared victorious, was designated to preside over the polls. However, he did not assume office on Monday, citing concerns about his sister’s health. Amidst speculation of the BJP attempting to influence two more councillors, the Aam Aadmi Party has relocated its councillors out of Chandigarh, where they are presently situated in Punjab.
Recalling the events of January 30, BJP’s Manoj Sonkar secured the mayor’s post after the presiding officer, Anil Masih, invalidated eight votes from the AAP-Congress alliance. Following Sonkar’s election, the subsequent elections for senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor were won by BJP candidates Kuljeet Sandhu and Rajinder Sharma, respectively. Subsequently, AAP and Congress councillors staged a walk-out. In a significant development, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court initiated criminal proceedings against Masih, a former BJP office-bearer.
The court accused Masih of deliberately defacing eight ballots and providing false information. The Supreme Court also ruled that the mayoral election results would be based on existing ballot papers instead of a repoll, consequently declaring AAP candidate Kuldeep Kumar as the rightful winner.