Voting rights to Legislators in Civic body : Petition filed in High court, matter listed after 4 weeks
Shimla, Nov 29
The current barb between ruling Congress and Opposition BJP in the state over extending special provision of voting in civic bodies for concerned MLAs now has reached the doorsteps of the court as former councillor has challenged the decision.
Solan Municipal Corporation Councillor Shailendra Gupta has challenged the voting rights of MLA in the High Court as the matter was listed today.
State Congress government had decided last Thursday to include the sitting MLA of district assembly constituency as electoral for polls of appointment or election of mayor and Deputy Mayor.
Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu justified the provision stating that it already exists in the Section 4 of Himachal Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act 1994. However, fearing possible fall out in the scheduled Mayoral elections in MCs of Dharmshala and Solan, the BJP was furious over the move.
In situations of waiver thin margins and threat of defection in the Civic Body internal polls, the role of Legislators could be turned the majority in favour of ruling government.
There are five municipal corporations in the state including Shimla, Solan, Dharmshala, Palampur and Mandi. The outcome of High court petition will now impact Solan and Dharamshala schedule of elections whereas in Palampur and Mandi, Mayor-Deputy Mayors have been elected last week.
BJP had absolute majority in Mandi and Congress had absolute majority in Palampur, hence MLA’s vote was not required. But, the vote of the MLA in Solan and Dharamshala MC could affect the result.
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