Punjab and Haryana High Court seeks videography of Banur Municipal elections after councillors allege detention before presidential poll

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Punjab Government to produce the videography of the election process for the post of Banur Municipal Council president and vice-president. The direction came amid claims that seven elected councillors were allegedly detained by the police before the first meeting of the newly elected House and were consequently unable to participate in the election.

Issuing notice of motion to the State and certain other respondents, the Division Bench of Justice Deepak Sibal and Justice Rupinderjit Chahal adjourned the matter to July 15 and ordered that the videography of the election process be produced for the court’s viewing. The Bench also directed that the case be taken up as the first matter in the post-lunch session on the next date of hearing.

Advocates Armaan Saggar and Sunny Saggar submitted that there were 13 elected councillors in Banur MC and seven of them were before the High Court as petitioners.

Appearing before the Bench, Sunny Saggar further contended that the petitioners were in the majority during the first meeting of the councillors. But they were detained by the police, due to which they could not participate in the meeting convened to elect the president and vice-president.

7 councillors allege detention by police

Recording the submissions, the Bench observed: “(The counsel) inter alia contends that there are 13 elected councillors for Municipal Council, Banur; seven out of the 13 councillors are petitioners before this court. In the first meeting of the newly elected councillors, the petitioners were in majority but were detained by the police as a result whereof they could not take part in the meeting conducted to elect president and vice-president of MC…”

The order further records the petitioners’ allegation that “in the staged meeting there were only five newly elected councillors and one MLA, who amongst themselves elected president and vice-president, which procedure is per se illegal”.

Punjab Additional Advocate General Jastej Singh accepted notice and sought time to file a written statement. Allowing the request, the Bench adjourned the matter to July 15, while directing: “The State counsel is directed to produce the videography of the election process for viewing by this court which shall be arranged by the Registrar (Judicial) of this court.”