Anil Masih controversy continues to haunt civic body House
The life for Anil Masih, a nominated councillor, who was accused of tampering and defacing votes during Chandigarh’s Municipal Corporation Mayoral elections on January 30, seems unchanged — at least on the surface. Masih continues to attend Municipal Corporation General House meetings as a nominated Councillor, but his presence is a quiet reminder of the controversy that made him a household name across the country
Outside the political arena, Masih remains a steadfast figure in his local community, active in the Church of North India (CNI), Sector 18, where he is seen more as a man of faith than one of politics.
A businessman by profession, Masih, in his early fifties, studied at government school, Sector 11, and did his graduation from DAV College, Sector 10. His wife works as the manager at one of the girls’ hostels at Punjab Engineering Hostel (PEC), Sector 12. The family stays in government accommodation on PEC campus.
A member of the BJP since 2015, Masih was the general secretary of the party’s minority cell since 2021. He was divested of the post after the vote-rigging and defacing controversy.
The shadow of that fateful day lingers. During a recent Municipal Corporation meeting, the issue was raised yet again, a stark reminder that the city—and its councillors—have not forgotten the episode.
MC Chandigarh has nine nominated councillors with a term of five years, for which they get an honorarium of Rs 15,000 per month, besides Rs 2,750 as telephone allowance.
Masih’s role as a nominated councillor, meant to be advisory and non-voting might seem insignificant on paper, but his actions in the Mayoral elections will go down as a textbook version of “what not to do as a presiding officer in a Mayor’s election.”
Tasked with this role, Masih made headlines when he tampered with and rejected the crucial votes of the AAP-Congress coalition, declaring BJP’s Manoj Sonkar as mayor. The move sent shockwaves across political circles and drew the ire of the public. Months later, the Supreme Court overturned the result, declaring AAP’s Kuldeep Kumar as the rightful mayor, leaving the BJP red-faced and Masih’s reputation in tatters.
Broken promises
Both the BJP and the AAP faced criticism for failing to deliver on promises. AAP’s pledges of free water and BJP’s free parking for two-wheelers remained unfulfilled. The then BJP Mayor Anup Gupta had announced on the day of Diwali that from December 1, 2023, two-wheeler drivers will not have to spend money in all parking lots in the city, but he could not fulfil the promise.
The Aam Aadmi Party had promised to provide 20,000 litres of water free if voted to power, but failed to fulfil the promise even though, for the first time in 2024, an AAP councillor became the Mayor in Chandigarh. Party leaders explain away their inability to fulfil their promise by saying that a resolution to this effect has been passed in the House and that it has been sent to the UT Administrator, who has still not given his approval.
The UT Administrator, on the other hand, has argued that he cannot pass such a resolution because the MC is already incurring huge losses. And if water and parking are now made free, then the other development works of the municipal corporation will come to a complete standstill.
Financial woes
Anil Masih’s actions notwithstanding, Chandigarh’s MC has been plunged into its worst-ever financial crisis, with losses exceeding Rs 200 crore. Development projects are halted, and no new tender has been floated since May. Employees have faced uncertainty over salaries.
The year 2024 has proved to be quite challenging for the MC. No development work has been done for the last 7 to 8 months. All work has come to a standstill. Due to non-payment of dues, contractors have abandoned many works in the middle. Roads are broken, and there is no money to build them. The MC has been seeking money from the Administration, but the administration has refused to give additional grants at the moment. The Administration has suggested that the Municipal Corporation find its own, additional sources of revenue.
The Administration’s inability to address critical issues, from parking woes to broken roads, has left the city’s residents disillusioned. The MC’s financial struggles further compounded these problems, with no relief in sight.
