Mayoral polls in Chandigarh deferred indefinitely amid controversies

In an unexpected twist, the scheduled mayoral election in Chandigarh, initially set for 11 am on Thursday, has been postponed indefinitely due to the deteriorating health of presiding officer Anil Masih. The announcement took councillors by surprise, who were anticipating the election of a new mayor, senior deputy mayor, and deputy mayor.

Controversy escalated as candidates from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress members were reportedly detained, and municipal councillors were denied access to the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation. The election’s security measures were heightened with the deployment of 500 police personnel.

Following the postponement, AAP and Congress promptly filed a petition, urging the immediate rescheduling of the mayoral election for a fair and impartial electoral process. The petition awaits consideration by the Chief Justice, accompanied by a parallel petition from officials at the Punjab AG Office. Notably, councillors from Chandigarh Congress and AAP were reportedly inside the Punjab CM’s residence for strategic discussions.

Former Union Minister Pawan Bansal accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of obstructing the electoral process, preventing Congress workers and councillors from entering the municipal corporation office. He expressed intent to escalate the matter to the high court.
In response, BJP spokesperson Davinder Singh Babla blamed Congress and AAP for disrupting the electoral atmosphere. He professed ignorance about the hospitalization of the ailing presiding officer, Anil Masih, and pledged to investigate.

Aam Aadmi Party’s Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha arrived at the municipal corporation, advocating for the appointment of another election officer. Chadha emphasized the importance of proceeding with the electoral process and accused BJP of orchestrating delays.

As the situation unfolds, allegations and counter-allegations create uncertainty around the fate of the mayoral election in Chandigarh. In the evening, a petition filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the election postponement is set to be heard. The petition, representing AAP and Congress, demands a fair election, with the High Court accepting the plea for a hearing on Thursday.

Justices Sudhir Singh and Harsh Bangar will conduct the hearing.
In the 36-member Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, BJP holds 14 seats (15 with MP Kirron Kher’s additional vote), AAP commands 13 seats, Congress secures seven seats, and Shiromani Akali Dal is represented by one councillor. Nineteen seats are required to win the election, and a tie would occur with 18 seats.