Hold Amritsar MC poll as per old wards, Lok Sabha voters’ list: Local leaders
Following the announcement regarding revision of voters’ list, local politicians have demanded from the government that elections be conducted as per the old ward demarcation to avoid further delay. A number of activists moved the court against the delimitation exercise in recent days leaving the politicians worried that court cases may cause further delay in holding the elections. The Municipal Corporation House was dissolved in January 2023 while elections were delayed by around two years. The leaders of political parties have demanded that MC elections be held according to the old wards and as per voter lists prepared during the Lok Sabha elections to prevent further delay.
Senior Congress leader and former Senior Deputy Mayor Raman Bakhshi stated that the two-year delay in holding municipal elections has deprived urban area residents of essential services. City dwellers are grappling with various issues, including poor state of cleanliness that has turned the city into heaps of garbage. Bakhshi emphasised the need for holding immediate elections to the Municipal Corporation, considering the problems of the people and suggested holding the elections according to the previous ward demarcations. He also pointed out shortcomings in the newly conducted delimitation exercise as it is currently under the court’s consideration.
BJP district president Harwinder Singh Sandhu also stated that residents have been demanding early municipal elections as it has been delayed by two years. The government’s decision to publish new voters’ lists would delay the process for two more months. Sandhu advocated holding the elections using the voters’ list revised before the Lok Sabha elections, citing insufficient time to prepare a new list of voters and the potential objections that could cause further delays. He criticised the government for lack of concern over local issues.
It may be mentioned that some local activists have filed writ petitions in the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the delimitation which is pending in court.
