Byelection to councillor’s post in Solan civic body awaited

Solan, August 30

The byelection to a post of councillor of the Solan Municipal Corporation (MC) is awaited.

The post had fallen vacant in March following the demise of Kulbhushan Gupta, who represented Ward number five. He was a BJP councillor and the party had been left with six councillors as against nine of the Congress and an Independent.

A special revision of the electoral rolls was underway in the civic body in view of the proposed byelection. Earlier three byelections were proposed to be held as two councillors of the Congress party had been disqualified on June 10 for defying party whip in the mid-term Mayoral elections held in December 2023. Their disqualification was, however, stayed by the apex court few days ago following which only one post of councillor remains vacant.

As per the directions of the State Election Commission, under Rule 26(1) of the HP Municipal Corporation Election Rules, 2012, applications for inclusion in the electoral rolls can be submitted eight days before the last date of filing nomination. Since the election dates have not been notified as yet, the process of including eligible voters in the list was continuing.

Both BJP and Congress were awaiting the election notification as it will strengthen their position in the civic body. The Mayor’s post is held by a Congress councillor while BJP holds the post of Deputy Mayor.

Deputy Commissioner, Manmohan Sharma said the date of byelection for electing a councillor would be announced soon after the special revision of electoral rolls is completed. The election would be held in early September and the date would be notified by the election commission of the state.

While the BJP is keen to retain the seat, the Congress, too, will try to strengthen its position by securing this post.