The Punjab and Haryana High Court granted interim bail to Chandigarh Mayor Kuldeep Kumar, allowing him to vote in the crucial mayoral elections. The bail follows a cheating and corruption case filed against Kumar and his brother-in-law just before the elections. The mayoral race is closely contested amid shifting political dynamics.
Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday granted interim bail to Chandigarh Mayor Kuldeep Kumar, enabling him to cast his vote in the crucial mayoral elections scheduled for today.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had urgently petitioned the High Court for an expedited hearing after Chandigarh Police registered a case of cheating and corruption against Kuldeep Kumar and his brother-in-law, Rahul. The case was filed on Wednesday, just a day before the elections.
The case was initiated after Ravi, a resident of Ram Darbar, filed a complaint against Kuldeep Kumar’s brother-in-law, Rahul. According to Ravi, he was promised a job as a sanitation worker in exchange for Rs 75,000.
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He alleged that the payments were made through UPI transactions on September 10, 11, and 13, but despite paying the amount, he never received the promised job. Based on his complaint, Chandigarh Police booked Kuldeep Kumar and Rahul for cheating and corruption.
The mayor of Chandigarh serves a one-year term, and this year, the position is reserved for a woman councillor. The two main contenders are:
- Prem Lata (AAP-Congress alliance)
- Harpreet Babla (Bharatiya Janata Party – BJP)
In addition to electing the mayor, the senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor will also be chosen from among the councillors.
To secure victory, a candidate needs at least 19 votes out of the total 36 in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation.
However, the recent defection of Congress councillor Gurbax Rawat to the BJP has tilted the balance of power. The numbers now stand as follows:
- BJP: 16 councillors
- AAP-Congress alliance: 20 votes (including Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari’s vote)
The previous mayoral election in Chandigarh was controversial, with allegations of misconduct against BJP councillors and presiding officer Anil Masih. The matter reached the Supreme Court, which made strong observations against the conduct of the election.
Following the court’s intervention, BJP mayor Manoj Sonkar resigned, and AAP’s Kuldeep Kumar was declared the winner.
With Kuldeep Kumar now granted interim bail, all eyes are on the closely contested election, which could determine the political future of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation.
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