Voting rights of nominated councillors: UT shouldn’t contest HC order, says Congress leader Manish Tewari

Congress leader Manish Tewari has written to Home Minister Rajnath Singh stating that he has learnt that the Chandigarh administration intends to challenge the High Court order of disallowing nominated councillors to voting rights before the apex court in an appeal.

Tewari wants Rajnath to direct UT not to persist with the “fruitless exercise”. “It is indeed quixotic that the UT administration is intending to file an appeal challenging the said judgment that is correct in law. I am perplexed as to why should tax payers money be used for this legal challenge. If at all any nominated member is aggrieved by the HC judgment, they are free to challenge it on their own. I would be obliged if you direct the Chandigarh administration not to persist with this fruitless exercise,” he said.

In August, the High Court had disallowed voting rights to nominated councillors. The plea had stated they are not elected members and have not taken the mandate of the electorate and so giving the right to vote in MC meeting amounts to suppressing the will of the electorate.