HC's midnight session on Chandigarh Mayoral Poll Congress plea
High Court conducts midnight hearing on Congress plea in Chandigarh Mayoral Poll dispute
In a late-night session, the Punjab and Haryana High Court, led by Justice Alok Jain, has requested a report from Chandigarh Police regarding the Congress party's claims of the illegal detention of its councillor, Jasbir Singh Bunty. The allegations surfaced just before the high-stakes mayoral elections scheduled for Thursday.
Midnight hearing on detention claims
The high court's special hearing occurred at Justice Alok Jain's residence in Sector 8, Chandigarh, at 12:15 am on Wednesday. The court instructed Chandigarh Police to provide a detailed report on the incident, responding to the Congress's concerns about Bunty's alleged unlawful confinement.
The petition, filed by Harmohinder Singh Lucky, Chandigarh Congress president, pointed to a scuffle outside the municipal corporation office involving BJP workers and activists from Congress and AAP. Lucky asserted that BJP workers attempted to forcibly take Bunty away, restricting his freedom of movement.
Mayoral election dynamics
The incident unfolded when Bunty, residing with other councillors at a Punjab resort, came to withdraw his mayoral candidacy nomination for the Congress after forming an alliance with the AAP. The upcoming mayoral elections are crucial, with the AAP and Congress jointly having 20 votes against the BJP's 15 in the 35-member House.
The court fixed the hearing for 5 pm on Wednesday and directed the UT's additional public prosecutor to examine the matter and submit a report. Although the public prosecutor and additional public prosecutor initially denied illegal detention, they requested time for further verification of facts. The mayoral contest has gained significance, occurring months ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, with all eyes on the dynamic between the AAP-Congress alliance and the BJP.
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