HC stays Panchkula MC polls

Rawal was removed from the president’s post following an order of the District Election Tribunal,Panchkula,on a petition filed by V K Sood — the defeated candidate.

Rawal’s appeal against the Tribunal order had also been turned down by the district judge,who upheld the orders declaring his election as void on the ground that “secrecy of voting” was adhered to.

The Division Bench also ordered Sood’s councillor,the Panchkula District Election Tribunal,the district judge,the deputy commissioner and the sub-divisional officer (Civil),Panchkula,to file replies by February 1.

Chandigarh councillors lobby for sub-committee membership
COUNCILLORS of the Municipal Corporation are lobbying hard to become members of the sub-committees of their choice. The civic body has 12 sub-committees and these are reconstituted every year.
Some sub-committees are more favoured than the others which most councillors vie for. A few councillors are also claiming that membership of particular committees had been promised to them prior to the Mayoral elections. The intense lobbying is also causing a delay in the announcement of the final list. Among the favoured committees are Fire and Emergency Services Committee,Roads Committee,Enforcement Committee as well as Water Supply and Sewerage Committee. Others like House Tax Assessment do not find many takers with levying of taxes being a contentious issue. In fact during the past year,former Mayor Kamlesh kept skirting the issue and it never came up for discussion in the House. Chairpersonship of the committees is another bone of contention. Last year,the chairpersons of most committees were either from the Congress or were nominated councillors.