Plea in HC seeks stay on P’kula MC election

The application is yet to come up for hearing. (File)

With the announcement of Panchkula municipal corporation elections after more than two years, former councillor Satinder Singh Tony has moved the High Court seeking a stay on the elections.

The bifurcation of the Kalka Municipal Council from Municipal Corporation of Panchkula was announced in July. Satinder, who had been opposing the bifurcation since 2017, moved the High Court against the move, citing legal as well as developmental hassles.

In the first hearing of the case on October 1, the Punjab and Haryana High Court sought a response from the state on the objections raised by Tony through his counsel Gurpreet Singh Dhillon.

While the case was adjourned for hearing on November 11 and then for November 19, no hearing took place. The case has now been listed for December 19 — when as per the schedule of the Election Commission, nominations would already have been filed.

Keeping this in mind, Tony moved an application in the High Court Friday, asking for an immediate stay on the elections. The application is yet to come up for hearing.

Political parties spring to action

Both the BJP as well as the Congress have announced to contest all 20 seats of the city. Captain Abhimanyu has been declared election in-charge for the BJP.

The BJP has decided to give tickets to its strongest players chosen on the basis of ward survey, personal equations in their area and consensus.

While the BJP’s prospective candidates began their campaigns in various areas of the city on Saturday, the Congress was yet to get into an election mode.

In the previous MC elections in July 2013, only three BJP candidates — C B Goel, Sunil Talwar and Ravi Kant Swami — had won.

Swami, a contender from ward no. 8 including Sector 19 and Industrial Phase II who had quit the BJP and joined the Congress, had already begun his campaign when the bifurcation was announced.

RWAs in poll fray

Several residents’ welfare associations have declared to fight the MC elections. These associations and their candidates may prove to be a hassle for the political leaders.

The Citizens’ Welfare Association and the Panchkula Vikas Manch have decided to contest from several wards. At a meeting of Panchkula Vikas Manch, the delivery of promises in the past term of councillors as well as the level of corruption in Panchkula MC was discussed. They also held a discussion on finalising their own manifesto and their candidates.

President of Panchkula RWA R P Malhotra too has declared to stand for the post of mayor.

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