Baddi MC chief quits, fresh poll on May 12

Tribune News Service

Solan, April 28

Nearly three months after a no-confidence motion was moved against the president of Baddi municipal committee (MC) by five of the nine councillors, president Urmila Devi tendered her resignation.

Following this, the Solan Deputy Commissioner (DC) has directed Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Zafar Iqbal to initiate the process for conducting fresh election for the post of president for the remaining period.

Initiate process for fresh election, ADC told

• The Solan Deputy Commissioner (DC) has directed ADC Zafar Iqbal to initiate the process for conducting fresh election for the post of president for the remaining period
• The president’s resignation was accepted and the post has been declared vacant. A fresh election has been ordered by invoking the provisions of Rule 89 of HP Municipal Election Rules

As per the DC’s order, the president’s resignation was accepted by the vice-president on April 26 and the post of president has been declared vacant with effect from April 27. A fresh election has been ordered by invoking the provisions of Rule 89 of HP Municipal Election Rules, 2015.

ADC Zafar Iqbal informed that all nine councillors have been issued notices to remain present for the president’s poll on May 12 following directions by the Solan DC to initiate the poll process.

With the state high court staying enquiry against a councillor Tarsem Chand for cancelling his membership after the president had alleged that he had absented himself from three consecutive meetings, he too would join the poll process.

A tug of war has been going on between the BJP and the Congress ever since a no-confidence motion was moved against the BJP-supported president Urmila Devi and vice-president Mann Singh Mehta on February 2.

Councillors Ajmer Kaur from Ward Number 3, Mohan Lal from Ward Number 5, Tarsem Chand from Ward Number 6, Jassi Ram from Ward Number 8 and Surjit Singh from Ward Number 9 had signed a letter stating the president and the vice-president were not taking them into confidence while taking work-related decisions.

Later, one of the councillors Jassi Ram had backtracked from the no-confident motion, thus making the motion invalid. There are nine councillors in the Baddi civic body.

Former Congress MLA Ramkumar Chawdhary, however, said the post of president can’t be declared vacant by the DC after resignation of the president. He added that the due process of law has not been followed.

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