CHANDIGARH: Petition filed in High Court regarding Panchkula Mayor election

Chandigarh: A Congress councilor filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking directions to hold mayoral elections for the Panchkula Municipal Corporation. The petitioner argued that the elections were pending for more than three years. The councilor also sought instructions to declare the inaction of the state government as unconstitutional.

Pratap Singh and Parth Singh, counsel for petitioner Akshaydeep Choudhary, submitted the Municipal Corporation Act, 1994 and the Haryana Municipal Corporation Election Rules, 1994 to make it clear that the elections are to be held within 60 days of the notification of the newly-elected municipal councillors.

“The inaction undermines the democratic process and denies the residents of Panchkula the right to representation in the governance of the corporation,” the plea said. This violates Articles 243R and 243S of the Constitution as well as specific provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1994 and the Haryana Municipal Corporation Election Rules, 1994, which mandate regular elections to maintain the essence of governance at the municipal level. Makes it mandatory. ,