Punjab and Haryana HC Directs Chandigarh Administration to 'Set Earliest Date' for Mayoral Polls

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Chandigarh administration to promptly determine the earliest possible date for the mayoral election. This instruction was issued on Tuesday during the hearing of a petition that challenges the decision by the Chandigarh deputy commissioner to postpone the poll from January 18 to February 6. The division bench, led by Justice Sudhir Singh and Justice Harsh Bunger, issued this directive, and the court, which considered responses from the Union Territory administration and Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, adjourned the matter to Wednesday.

The petition, filed by AAP councillor Kuldeep Kumar, challenges the administration's decision to defer the mayoral poll initially set for January 18 to February 6 due to the illness of presiding officer Anil Masih. Accusing the BJP of hindering the election due to the fear of an "imminent defeat," the Congress and AAP, in alliance, expressed their concerns. The court, emphasizing the urgency of the election, instructed the administration's counsel to propose the earliest feasible date or face a merit-based decision after hearing both sides' arguments.

Kumar's counsel argued that delaying the mayoral poll could result in irregularities, underscoring the need for an early election. The representative of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, Senior Advocate Chetan Mittal, explained their reply submitted before the court, stating that holding the poll before January 26 was not feasible. In a previous hearing, the court had expressed concerns about the delay, citing February 6 as too distant a date. The administration justified the postponement, citing law-and-order considerations amid the Ayodhya Ram temple consecration and Republic Day preparations.

Kumar, seeking to overturn the February 6 poll date, also demanded the quashing of restrictions on councillors' entry imposed by the municipal corporation authorities. The petitioner urged the court to ensure a fair and unbiased conduct of the mayoral polls.