Latest news with #PunjabMunicipalAct
Hindustan Times
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
AAP-majority Kharar MC ousts SAD chief in no-confidence vote
Four years after the municipal council (MC) elections in Kharar, 18 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillors, along with local MLAs Anmol Gagan Maan and Charanjeet Singh, ousted MC president Jaspreet Kaur Longia of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) through a no-confidence motion during the council meeting on Friday. The Kharar MC has representation of two MLAs - Anmol Gagan Maan from Kharar and Dr Charanjeet Singh from Chamkaur Sahib. The AAP councillors tabled the no-confidence motion against Longia. Of the total 27 councillors, only 21 attended the meeting, including all 18 AAP members and three from the Opposition, including the president herself. As per the Punjab Municipal Act, once a no-confidence motion is approved in the House, the president ceases to hold office. The municipal council elections held on February 17, 2021, resulted in a hung house — with the Congress winning 10 seats, SAD eight, AAP one, and Independents securing eight. Subsequently, SAD, with support from Independent councillors, had succeeded in electing Longia as the council president. However, on September 23, 2022, eight Congress councillors, six Independents, and one SAD councillor joined AAP, giving the party a majority with 18 councillors. Executive officer (EO) of the Kharar municipal council, Gurbakshish Singh Sandhu, confirmed that the no-confidence motion was passed during the meeting on Friday. 'We have already sent the proceedings to the local bodies department for approval. We are hopeful of receiving the approval by May 19, after which we will call a House meeting to elect the new president,' he said. The political turmoil escalated on May 5, when the 18 councillors submitted a written request to the EO, seeking a special meeting to introduce a no-confidence motion against Longia. The letter, signed collectively, cited a loss of confidence in her leadership, claiming that she no longer enjoys majority support. The councillors invoked the provisions of the Punjab Municipal Act and urged the EO to convene a meeting without delay to discuss and vote on the motion. As per procedure, Longia was given an opportunity to prove her majority during the session. The 27-member Kharar MC House currently comprises 18 AAP councillors, followed by five from SAD, two from Congress and two independent councillors. Reacting to the development, SAD leader Ranjit Gill alleged, 'This is complete dictatorship by the AAP government. They are toppling elected representatives from councils and corporations. People are witnessing their high-handed tactics. They have been exposed.' Former Dera Bassi MLA and senior SAD leader NK Sharma added, 'AAP is misusing government machinery. They are intimidating councillors who support SAD by sending police to their homes and workplaces, pressuring them to switch sides.'
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
AAP scores major upset in Kharar council, SAD loses president's post
1 2 3 Mohali: In a major political development, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday unseated Kharar municipal council president Jaspreet Kaur Longia of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) through a no-confidence motion. The motion was backed by 18 AAP councillors and supported by local MLA Anmol Gagan Mann and Chamkaur Sahib MLA Dr Charanjit Singh. The no-confidence motion was tabled and passed during a specially convened meeting of the council, attended by 21 out of 27 councillors. All 18 AAP members were present, along with three opposition councillors, including Longia herself. According to the Punjab Municipal Act, a passed no-confidence motion results in the immediate removal of the sitting president. Executive officer (EO) of the municipal council, Gurbakshish Singh Sandhu, confirmed the outcome. "The motion was passed in today's meeting. We have forwarded the proceedings to the local bodies department and expect approval by May 19, after which a new house meeting will be called to elect the next president," he said. Longia said, "I take this as god's orders. AAP has played political vendetta to grab the president's seat and I am ready to vacate it." The Kharar municipal council elections held on February 17, 2021, initially produced a hung house, with Congress securing 10 seats, SAD 8, AAP 1, and independents 8. Jaspreet Kaur Longia was elected president with the support of SAD and independent councillors. However, the political equation changed dramatically on Sept 23, 2022, when eight Congress councillors, six independents, and one SAD councillor switched allegiance to AAP, giving the party a clear majority with 18 seats. The build-up to Friday's motion began on May 5, when all 18 AAP councillors submitted a written request to the EO for a special session to move the no-confidence motion. The letter cited a loss of faith in Longia's leadership and asserted she no longer enjoyed majority support. As per procedure, Longia was given an opportunity to prove her majority during the session. MLAs Anmol Gagan Mann and Charanjit Singh accompanied the councillors to the meeting venue in a bus, signaling coordinated support from the party's legislative leadership. Reacting to the development, SAD leader Ranjit Gill criticized AAP's approach, calling it "a display of political dictatorship." He said, "They are toppling elected representatives using government machinery. The people can see their high-handed tactics." Echoing the sentiment, senior SAD leader and former Derabassi MLA N K Sharma alleged that AAP was intimidating councillors loyal to SAD by using police pressure. BOX MLAs with councillors arrived under heavy security AAP MLAs along with 18 MC councillors arrive in a single bus under heavy security at Kharar MC. The police had cordoned off the bus carrying the councillors to the MC house. Led by Kharar DSP Karan Singh Sandhu along with Kharar SHO Sub Inspector Ajitesh Kaushal and armed commandos, the police team escorted the bus to Kharar and then cordoned the passage allowing MLAs and councillors to walk towards the MC building. MSID:: 121215775 413 |
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
SAD-BJP unite to oppose no-confidence motion against Kharar MC president
Mohali: In a dramatic development, leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) closed ranks to resist a no-confidence motion filed against Jaspreet Kaur Longia , sitting president of the Kharar Municipal Council (MC).Senior leaders N K Sharma, Ranjit Gill, Parvinder Sohana, Charanjit Kalewal, and BJP's Vineet Joshi voiced strong opposition to what they described as Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) "high-handedness and misuse of power." Addressing a joint press conference, the alliance leaders alleged that AAP was pressuring councillors who support SAD using administrative machinery, including the police. "AAP is attempting to hijack the democratic process in Kharar by threatening and coercing councillors," said SAD leader Ranjit Gill. "We, the SAD-BJP alliance, are united in our stand to save the duly-elected president from being ousted under duress," they Derabassi MLA and senior SAD leader, N K Sharma, accused AAP of blatant misuse of state power. "Police officers have been sent to homes and workplaces of councillors supporting SAD. This is a clear attempt to intimidate them into switching sides," Sharma claimed. BJP's Vineet Joshi and SAD leaders Parvinder Sohana and Charanjit Kalewal also condemned AAP's alleged pressure tactics and pledged full support to president crisis erupted when 18 councillors submitted a written request to the executive officer of the Kharar Municipal Council, seeking a special meeting to introduce a no-confidence motion against Longia. The signatories, including councillors from Congress, AAP, and a few independents, cited a lack of confidence in Longia's leadership and claimed that she no longer enjoyed majority group invoked relevant provisions of the Punjab Municipal Act, urging the executive officer to convene a session to allow a formal floor test. The 27-member Kharar MC is composed of eight SAD councillors, eight independents, one AAP councillor, and 10 Congress Kaur Longia was previously elected as president with the support of independent councillors, despite SAD not holding a majority on its own. With shifting alliances and political tension mounting, the no-confidence motion poses a serious challenge to the SAD-led leadership in Kharar. The president will be given a chance to prove her majority in the house as per statutory 120936432 413 |
Hindustan Times
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
SAD-BJP join hands to oppose AAP's no-confidence vote in Kharar municipal council
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have joined hands to oppose the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over a no-confidence motion scheduled for May 16 against Kharar municipal council president Jaspreet Kaur Longia. Chandigarh, India September 9, 2016:Parminder Singh Dhindsa , NK Sharma and Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal in Punjab Vidhan Sabha in Chandigarh on Friday, September 09, by Keshav Singh/Hindustan Times. The unrest escalated after 18 councillors submitted a written request to the executive officer of the municipal council, seeking a special meeting to introduce a no-confidence motion against president Longia. The councillors invoked provisions of the Punjab Municipal Act and urged the executive officer to convene the meeting without delay to discuss and vote on the motion. The letter, signed collectively by the councillors, cites a loss of confidence in her leadership and claims that she no longer enjoys majority support. If passed, the motion could lead to a change in leadership in the Kharar municipal council. As per the established procedure, the president will be given an opportunity to prove her majority during the session. Longia was elected as president in February 2021. The elections held on February 17, 2021, resulted in a hung house, with Congress winning 10 seats, SAD eight, AAP one and Independents securing eight. Subsequently, SAD, with support from Independent councillors, elected Longia as the council chief. However, on September 23, 2022, eight Congress councillors, six Independents and one SAD councillor joined AAP, thus giving the party a majority with 16 councillors. SAD leaders NK Sharma, Ranjit Gill, Parvinder Sohana, Charanjit Kalewal, along with BJP leader Vineet Joshi, have united to oppose the no-confidence motion. They alleged that AAP is using threats and administrative pressure to coerce councillors who supported SAD into switching allegiance. SAD leader Ranjit Gill, while addressing the media, said, 'We strongly oppose the no-confidence motion brought against the SAD municipal council president. We want to send a clear message that SAD and BJP stand united in support of the president and against AAP's high-handed tactics in Kharar.' Former Dera Bassi MLA and senior SAD leader NK Sharma added, 'AAP is misusing government machinery. They are intimidating councillors who support SAD by sending police to their homes and workplaces, pressuring them to side with AAP. We will not allow this to happen.' Leaders Parvinder Sohana, Charanjit Kalewal, and Vineet Joshi also echoed their support for the SAD leadership and condemned the alleged misuse of power. The councillors who signed the no-confidence motion include: Sarabjit Kaur, Gurdeep Kaur, Gobindar Singh Cheema, Paramjit Kaur, Rajinder Singh Nambardar, Harinder Pal Jolly, Namita Jolly, Rajbir Raji, Jasbir Kaur, Sohan Singh, Anju Chander, Gurjeet Singh Gaggi, Karamjit Kaur, Chhivani Chadda, Vineet Jain, Ram Sarup, Jasleen Kaur, and Jasbir Singh.
Hindustan Times
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘Show of hands' to pick Chandigarh mayor in 2026
The Chandigarh mayoral elections in 2026 will be conducted through a show of hands instead of secret ballots—a significant change prompted by the vote-rigging scandal from 2024 polls, and persistent demands from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress for a greater transparency in the electoral process. In February, UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria had directed the Deputy Commissioner's office to draft an amendment in applicable law to allow voting by a show of hands instead of the previous system of secret ballots. Deputy commissioner Nishant Yadav said the proposal for amendment in Punjab Municipal Act was ready and will be sent to the UT administrator for final approval. 'The amendment is aimed at preventing recurring issues of cross-voting and vote tampering. In the mayoral elections scheduled for January 2026, councillors will vote by raising their hands instead of using secret ballots,' he added. The administration aims to complete the process by June, after which a public notice will be issued to invite suggestions and objections from city residents. Based on the feedback, a final notification will be issued. Since the establishment of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation in 1996, mayoral elections have been conducted through secret ballots. In the 2024 mayoral elections, then presiding officer Anil Masih, a nominated municipal councillor, was caught on camera invalidating eight votes cast in favour of AAP-Congress alliance candidate Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor, in an apparent attempt to secure victory for BJP's Manoj Sonkar. The brazen vote-rigging earned Masih the wrath of the Supreme Court, which termed it a 'murder of democracy'. Overturning the results, the top court declared Dhalor the winner, giving Chandigarh its first non-BJP, non-Congress mayor. The incident sparked nationwide outrage and damaged the BJP's credibility, as reflected in the subsequent Lok Sabha election results. During its meeting in October 2024, led by then mayor Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor, the MC House passed a resolution proposing that future elections be conducted through a show of hands instead of secret ballots. Before the 2025 polls, in January, Dhalor filed a petition before the Supreme Court to replace the secret ballot system with open voting to ensure fairness. However, the Supreme Court refused to intervene and left the decision to the administration. The shift to an open voting system will benefit the party with the highest number of councillors, as any councillor wishing to vote for an opposition candidate will have to do so publicly. This will enable political parties to take disciplinary action against councillors who defy party lines. In the 2025 elections, the BJP secured the mayoral position through cross-voting, gaining three opposition votes from AAP and Congress councillors. However, with the new system, such manipulations will become difficult, as councillors will be required to publicly raise their hands to cast votes—similar to how resolutions on development projects and other issues are passed in the House. The mayoral elections are conducted by the Deputy Commissioner's office. Notably, Chandigarh currently lacks an anti-defection law, which allows councillors to switch parties before elections. As a result, party-switching among councillors has been a recurring issue before every election.
