Chandigarh mayoral polls on Jan 30; HC sets aside admin order

Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday set aside the Chandigarh administration's order postponing the mayoral polls and said the election will be held on January 30.

The decision came on a petition challenging an order of the Chandigarh deputy commissioner, who is the authority for holding the mayoral polls, postponing the election date from January 18 to February 6.

As the matter came up for hearing, the division bench of Justice Sudhir Singh and Justice Harsh Bunger set aside the administration order, said petitioner's counsel Gurminder Singh.

Polling for the posts of mayor, senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor will now be held at 10 am on January 30.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Kuldeep Kumar, an AAP councillor, who challenged the administration's order.

The mayoral polls, initially slated to be held on January 18, were deferred to February 6 after Anil Masih -- the presiding officer -- fell sick, triggering protests from the Congress and AAP councillors.

The Congress and the AAP, which have joined hands for the mayoral polls, have slammed the BJP, accusing it of not allowing the election, fearing "imminent defeat".