Punjab Government’s alleged move to
enable its “blue-eyed” municipal councillors to remain in power for
another two years after the end of their tenure in Ferozepur has
backfired.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has quashed the letter dated July 20, 2012, vide which the municipal committee’s term was extended by a couple of years “against law and facts”.
The orders came on a petition filed through counsel KB Raheja by Buta Singh and five other residents of Ferozepur City.
They had alleged that the municipal committee, realising the chances of its re-election were bleak, managed to get the term extended by a couple of years. The committee, in fact, got its term extended on the ground that the first meeting to elect the president and other office bearers was held two years after the elections.
Going into the background of the controversy, Raheja claimed the election to constitute the municipal committee was held in June, 2008. As per Section 13 of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, the term of the municipal committee is five years from the date fixed for the first meeting for the election of the office bearers.
He added the president and other office-bearers of the municipal committee “are the men of ruling party”. “By their act and conduct, they have lost the support, confidence and mandate of the people of the area and it is well within their knowledge that they will not be able to get themselves elected again in the events of elections. So, they tried to delay the elections and continue in office…”
Raheja said the office-bearers “related to the ruling parties” managed to get the extension on the ground that the first meeting of the municipal committee was held on April 4, 2010. As such, the term of five years would begin from that day.
Raheja said as per the information obtained under RTI the first meeting for the election of president was held on July 22, 2008.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has quashed the letter dated July 20, 2012, vide which the municipal committee’s term was extended by a couple of years “against law and facts”.
The orders came on a petition filed through counsel KB Raheja by Buta Singh and five other residents of Ferozepur City.
They had alleged that the municipal committee, realising the chances of its re-election were bleak, managed to get the term extended by a couple of years. The committee, in fact, got its term extended on the ground that the first meeting to elect the president and other office bearers was held two years after the elections.
Going into the background of the controversy, Raheja claimed the election to constitute the municipal committee was held in June, 2008. As per Section 13 of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, the term of the municipal committee is five years from the date fixed for the first meeting for the election of the office bearers.
He added the president and other office-bearers of the municipal committee “are the men of ruling party”. “By their act and conduct, they have lost the support, confidence and mandate of the people of the area and it is well within their knowledge that they will not be able to get themselves elected again in the events of elections. So, they tried to delay the elections and continue in office…”
Raheja said the office-bearers “related to the ruling parties” managed to get the extension on the ground that the first meeting of the municipal committee was held on April 4, 2010. As such, the term of five years would begin from that day.
Raheja said as per the information obtained under RTI the first meeting for the election of president was held on July 22, 2008.
