CHANDIGARH: Ahead of the repolling for the posts of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday handed over a letter to municipal corporation joint commissioner seeking to postpone the same.
MC councillor Prem Lata handed over the letter to secretary Shambhu Rathee, who has written to the deputy commissioner regarding the same.
The AAP reasoned that Mayor Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor is away to Ludhiana to see his ailing sister and also senior deputy mayor candidate Gurpreet Singh Gabi is in Punjab and Haryana High Court for a hearing in this case.
Meanwhile, all BJP councillors have reached the MC office, while the opposition councillors have not come. Also, the 3 AAP councillors who recently joined the BJP have not come to the MC House yet.
“My sister is unwell, so I could not assume charge yesterday, and will not be able to be present in the MC House on Tuesday for the polling,” said Mayor Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor.
The Mayor is the presiding officer for the elections to the two posts.
This development is similar to what happened last month when then presiding officer Anil Masih reported sick on the day of mayoral polls on January 18. Consequently, the polls were postponed.
On Monday, the Congress moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court requesting the court to delay the polls as the Mayor had not assumed charge yet. The court will hear the case on Tuesday.
The BJP has also moved a plea that polls should not delay.