The city of Chandigarh will elect its new mayor on January 29, as officially declared by the Deputy Commissioner, who is the prescribed authority for the electoral process. The announcement was made on Friday, setting the stage for the crucial democratic exercise to fill the posts of mayor, senior deputy mayor, and deputy mayor.
Presiding Authority and Legal Framework
Dr Ramneek Singh Bedi, a councillor who is not contesting in the mayoral election, has been appointed as the presiding authority for the January 29 meeting. His responsibility is to conduct the proceedings and ensure the election is carried out strictly in accordance with the law, prescribed procedures, and the approved Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
The election will be conducted by a show of hands, as mandated by the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976 (applicable to UT Chandigarh) and the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (Procedure and Conduct of Business) Regulations, 1996. A comprehensive SOP has been finalised to guarantee transparency, accountability, and clarity at every stage.
Transparency Measures and Voting Protocol
The newly finalised SOP meticulously outlines the entire process, including pre-voting protocol, the order of voting, the hand-raise procedure, counting, verification, and documentation. When their choice is called, councillors must raise their hands clearly for their vote to be counted.
Votes will be tallied through visual verification and verbal confirmation. To prevent any ambiguity or future disputes, every vote will be properly documented in a register and recorded in the official minutes of the meeting.
In a significant move for transparency, the Deputy Commissioner has directed officials to videograph the proceedings continuously without any editing. This video record must be safely preserved for a minimum period of 90 days, or as directed by the competent authority. Media coverage and a live feed of the election process will also be permitted within the rules to uphold public interest.
Security Arrangements and Nomination Process
Stringent security and conduct guidelines have been put in place. Councillors attending the election meeting cannot be accompanied by supporters or security personnel from other states. Only authorised persons will be allowed within the Municipal Corporation premises during the election.
The Chandigarh Police have been tasked with providing adequate security to all councillors and officials. They are also responsible for maintaining peace, discipline, and orderly conduct before, during, and after the election proceedings.
The nomination process was also reviewed in the preparatory meeting. It was reiterated that the procedure and timeline for filing nomination papers must strictly follow the Municipal Corporation (Election) Regulations, 1996, with specific dates to be notified by the competent authority.
Addressing the officers, the Deputy Commissioner categorically stated that all due procedures must be followed in letter and spirit to ensure a free, fair, transparent, and impartial election. He directed all concerned departments to maintain close coordination and remain fully prepared to discharge their duties effectively.
Reiterating the Chandigarh administration's commitment to democratic values, the Deputy Commissioner assured that all necessary steps are being taken to conduct the mayoral election in a peaceful, transparent, lawful, and dignified manner.
