Supreme Court reinstates Solan Mayor

The Supreme Court on Monday reinstated Solan Mayor Usha Sharma in her post for the remainder of her tenure while terming her disqualification a case of "political goondaism".

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh made its August 20, 2024 order absolute by which it had stayed her disqualification while terming her removal "a case of male bias".

"The interim order of August 20, 2024 is made absolute. Any interference with the order will invite consequences," the bench said, as it adjourned the matter after a year.

When senior advocate Devadatt Kamat, appearing for the respondents, tried to interject, the bench said it does not want to pass any strictures in the order at present, as it is a case of "political goondaism".

Sharma's counsel submitted that her tenure will get completed next year and urged the court to make its interim order of last year absolute.

On August 20, last year, the top court while issuing notice on the plea of Sharma and former mayor Poonam Grover against the June, 2024 order of the high court upholding their disqualification kept in in abeyance the fresh election for the post of the mayor of Solan in Himachal Pradesh, till further orders.

"Meanwhile, the operation of the order dated June 10, 2024 disqualifying the petitioners as councilors of ward no.12 and ward no.8 of the Municipal Corporation, Solan, Himachal Pradesh as well as operation of the impugned judgment of the high court dated June 25, 2024 shall remain stayed. Resultantly, the first petitioner shall be allowed to continue and perform her duties as mayor of municipal corporation, Solan, Himachal Pradesh till further orders," it had said.

The top court was also critical of the reasoning given by the high court while upholding the notification of June 10, 2024 disqualifying Sharma and Grover, who were councillors of ward nos. 12 and 8 of the civic body, respectively.

Both Sharma and Grover were disqualified by the government under the provisions of the Himachal Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act, 1994 for defying party directions during the election of mayor and deputy mayor held on December 7, 2023.

Elections to the Solan Municipal Corporation established in 2020 are held on party lines.