Election under Supreme Court scanner, new Chandigarh Mayor sticks to public meetings

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, February 8

With the city mayoral poll under Supreme Court lens, new Mayor Manoj Sonkar is restricting himself to public meetings only.

Unlike his predecessors, he is not holding any official meeting with officers or inaugurating any MC project. He is limiting himself to ringing up officials to get routine civic works of residents done, and accepting greetings from people over his joining the office. Sonkar is also enjoying his new status by attending different social functions.

Cancelled two House meets

Though one House meeting is mandatory in a month, I had planned two as we could not hold any meeting in January. Besides the budget meeting, I had planned second House meeting on my birthday, February 15. As per the court directions, we are not holding the meetings now. — Manoj Sonkar, Mayor

He had planned to hold not just one customary meeting, but two back-to-back House meetings this month. However, the SC ordered adjourning the budget meeting scheduled for February 7.

“Though one House meeting is mandatory in a month, I had planned two as we could not hold any meeting in January. Besides the budget meeting, I had planned second House meeting on my birthday, February 15. As per the court directions, we are not holding the meetings now,” Sonkar told Chandigarh Tribune.

“Along with this, I am also not holding meetings with officers, but ensuring that residents’ works are not hit. If they approach me over phone or in person, I immediately ask the official concerned to get the work done,” he added.

Sonkar said though he has taken over as the Mayor, he had not lost touch with his ward in Mauli Jagran. “Till I was the Mayor, I used to take a round of my ward every evening. Though I have become busy now, I make sure I spend an hour at my ward office daily to listen to people’s grievances and other works,” shared Sonkar.

On protests against his appointment outside his office building, the First Citizen said, “The matter is sub judice.”

However, he claimed that he was getting support from people as they too wanted a BJP mayor. “They know only the BJP, under Narendra Modi, can do development,” he added.