Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued a directive ordering the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation elections to be held on January 30 at 10 am. The court's ruling comes with a unique stipulation that councillors attending the voting process will do so unaccompanied by security personnel and supporters.

The court emphasized that the responsibility for the security of councillors during the elections would entirely rest on the shoulders of the Chandigarh Police. 

The mayoral elections in the Union Territory of Chandigarh, which were scheduled to be held on January 18, were postponed until further notice. Councilors were informed via text message at 10.30 am that the mayoral elections were postponed due to the ill health of Anil Masih, the presiding authority. 

"It is informed that a telephonic message has been received regarding ill health of Sh Anil Masih who has been nominated as Presiding authority for the meeting scheduled on 18.1.24 for the post of mayor u/60 (a) read with Regulation 6(1) of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation(Procedure and Conduct of Business) Regulation 1996. In view of above, it is requested not to reach MC office till further orders are received please," the message read.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Indian National Congress (INC), part of the INDIA Alliance, condemned and protested against the postponement of the mayoral polls.

Congress leader Pawan Kumar Bansal said the Congress will move the High Court against the postponement of the mayoral polls in Chandigarh.

“I have been informed that we (Congress workers and the councillors) are not being allowed to go inside (the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation office) because the presiding officer is not well and has been hospitalised. They (BJP) want to stop the election... We will move the High Court,” said Bansal.

AAP leader Raghav Chadha, who was confident of the victory of the INDIA bloc in the Chandigarh polls, lashed out at the BJP in a press conference after the elections were postponed on Thursday.

The Chandigarh municipal polls will be the first big face-off between the BJP and the INDIA bloc. It will set the tone for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls," he had earlier said.