Himachal Pradesh Assembly Re-Passes Two Controversial Bills Without Amendments
The Himachal Pradesh legislative assembly, in a significant move on Monday, re-passed two contentious legislations—the Himachal Pradesh Municipal Corporation (2nd Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Himachal Pradesh Amendment Bill, 2025—without making any alterations. This decision comes after both bills were returned by Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, who raised objections, labeling them as unjustified and unreasonable.
Municipal Corporation Amendment Bill: Extending Terms Amid Legal Challenges
The Municipal Corporation Amendment Bill aims to extend the term of Shimla Mayor Surinder Chauhan and Deputy Mayor Uma Kaushal from 2.5 years to 5 years. Initially passed by the legislative assembly on December 4, 2025, the bill was sent for the governor's assent but faced rejection. The matter is currently sub judice before the high court, with a hearing scheduled for February 24. A public interest litigation has challenged the state government's move, arguing that, according to the roster system, a woman councillor was eligible to become Shimla mayor after November 15, 2025. The ordinance introduced by the state government is contended to have purposely undermined the rights of women councillors.
Real Estate Amendment Bill: Changing Leadership Amid Controversy
The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Himachal Pradesh Amendment Bill, 2025, which was passed by the legislative assembly on December 3, 2025, proposes to replace the chief justice of the high court with the chief secretary as the chairperson of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) selection committee. This move follows the previous RERA selection committee, headed by Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia, declining to recommend then Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena for the RERA chairperson post. Saxena was facing prosecution in the INX Media corruption case, which involved foreign exchange clearance granted to INX Media during P. Chidambaram's tenure as Union finance minister. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has also submitted a chargesheet in this case.
Implications and Next Steps
The re-passage of these bills without amendments highlights the ongoing political and legal tensions in Himachal Pradesh. With the governor's objections and pending court hearings, the future of these legislations remains uncertain, potentially leading to further debates and judicial scrutiny in the coming months.
