Today, On 30th January, The BJP emerged victorious in the Chandigarh Mayor election, defeating the AAP-Congress alliance. Voting commenced at 11:20 AM in the assembly hall of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation and concluded by 12:19 PM. The result marks a significant political shift in the local administration. BJP’s win has reshaped the power dynamics in Chandigarh’s municipal governance.
Chandigarh: The BJP achieved a significant victory in the Chandigarh mayoral elections, securing 19 votes against the 17 votes of the AAP-Congress alliance.
BJP candidate Harpreet Kaur Babla triumphed over AAP’s Prem Lata in this closely contested election.
Polling for the Chandigarh mayoral post took place in the assembly hall of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, starting at 11:20 am and concluding at 12:19 pm. The Municipal Corporation comprises 35 members, which includes elected councillors and the Chandigarh MP, who has voting rights as an ex-officio member.
Also Read: Supreme Court Appoints Independent Observer for Chandigarh Mayoral Election on January 30
Prior to the election, the party distribution was as follows, AAP had 13 councillors, Congress had 6, and the BJP had 16, along with 1 vote from the Chandigarh MP (Congress). In a strategic move just days before the election, Congress councillor Gurbax Rawat switched to the BJP, boosting its strength to 16.
The election conducted through a secret ballot, with nominated councillor Ramneek Singh Bedi serving as the presiding officer. Retired Punjab and Haryana High Court Justice Jaishree Thakur was appointed as an independent observer by the Supreme Court to oversee the process.
Additionally, the Supreme Court mandated that the election proceedings be video graphed.
The Supreme Court, on January 27, 2025, announced its decision to appoint an independent observer for the upcoming Chandigarh mayoral election scheduled for January 30.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh passed the order, emphasizing that the entire election process should take place under the observer’s supervision and be duly videographed. However, the court did not immediately disclose the observer’s name. Additionally, the Chandigarh administration has been directed to bear the cost of paying an honorarium to the observer.
Punjab Advocate General Gurminder Singh, representing the incumbent mayor Kuldeep Kumar, suggested that a retired high court judge be appointed for the role. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing on behalf of the Chandigarh administration, expressed no objections but cautioned against setting a precedent for all municipal corporations to seek Supreme Court intervention. The bench clarified that their sole concern was to maintain fairness and transparency in the election process.
Kuldeep Kumar, the current mayor affiliated with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), had approached the Supreme Court requesting a change in the voting method from a “secret ballot” to a “show of hands.” He argued that this would enhance transparency and fairness in the polling process.
However, the court dismissed this request, refusing to interfere with the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s ruling that upheld the secret ballot system.
On January 24, the Supreme Court had first suggested appointing an independent observer to oversee the election proceedings. It also marked that a retired high court judge could be a suitable candidate for the role.
Also Read: Chandigarh Mayor Elections: Anil Masih Apologizes to Supreme Court
The Chandigarh mayoral election has been damaged by allegations of vote tampering. Kuldeep Kumar had previously moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, alleging irregularities in the election held last year.
In that election, BJP candidate Manoj Sonkar was initially declared the winner, securing 16 votes against Kuldeep Kumar’s 12 votes, which were backed by the Congress and AAP. However, it was alleged that the Presiding Officer, Anil Masih, had invalidated eight ballots favoring Kuldeep Kumar, thereby altering the election outcome.
On February 20, the Supreme Court ruled that the election results announced by the Presiding Officer were invalid. The court found that the rejection of the eight votes was intentional and meant to disqualify ballots supporting Kuldeep Kumar. As a result, the court set-aside Sonkar’s victory and declared Kuldeep Kumar as the rightful Mayor of Chandigarh.
Case Title: Kuldeep Kumar vs. U.T. Chandigarh and Others
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