In a turn of events, the Supreme Court has granted relief to Usha Sharma, allowing her to continue as the Mayor of Solan Municipal Corporation during the ongoing hearings of a Special Leave Petition (SLP) challenging her disqualification.
The Apex Court, in its order, has stayed the operation of the Himachal Pradesh government’s June 10, 2024 decision that disqualified Sharma and Deputy Mayor Poonam Grover as councilors under the anti-defection law.
Additionally, the Court has also stayed the Himachal Pradesh High Court’s judgment dated June 25, 2024, which upheld their disqualification.
The Supreme Court’s directive ensures that Usha Sharma retains her mayoral position until the next hearing scheduled for October 14, 2024. The order also puts on hold the fresh mayoral election that was slated for August 22, 2024. The Court’s intervention came after Sharma and Grover, who were disqualified for contesting and winning the previous mayoral election against the Congress party’s official nominee, challenged their dismissal.
The Solan mayoral seat has been vacant for over two months due to ongoing political strife within the Congress party. Despite the disqualification, the party had not expelled Sharma and Grover from its primary membership, underscoring internal conflicts. The Court’s decision is seen as a major blow to the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led state government and local Congress leaders, who had sought to disqualify Sharma for anti-party activities.
In its observation, the Supreme Court instructed that the election process for the office of Mayor shall remain in abeyance until further orders, thereby reinstating Sharma to her post as Mayor. The stay order is a significant victory for Sharma and Grover, who have maintained that their disqualification was a result of political conspiracy.
The issue traces back to the December 7, last year election for the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Solan Municipal Corporation. Usha Sharma, who contested the election independently after rebelling against the Congress, won the Mayoral seat, while BJP councilor Meera Anand was elected Deputy Mayor. The Congress party, despite holding a majority, suffered a defeat due to the rebellion of four of its councilors, leading to the subsequent legal actions.
Pertinent to mention that despite the state government’s actions, Usha Sharma and Poonam Grover have not been expelled from the Congress party’s primary membership. Both have expressed relief and satisfaction with the Supreme Court’s decision, reaffirming their commitment to the party.
As the legal battle continues, the future of the Solan Municipal Corporation remains uncertain, with the Court’s next hearing set for mid-October. This case highlights the complexities of local governance in Himachal Pradesh and the deep-rooted challenges within political parties in maintaining unity and discipline.
