HC orders counting for Ladwa MC polls

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday directed authorities to conduct counting of votes for the posts of president and vice-president of municipal committee, Ladwa, the election of which were held on July 4.

The court bench of justice AK Mittal ordered that in case the difference in the votes of winners and runners-up was of more than two votes, the result be declared. Otherwise, the entire voting record should be brought before the court on next date of the hearing.

The HC was hearing petitions of Sumit Bansal, a councilor, and others, who had sought direction from high court to not to allow Raj Kumar Saini and Pawan Saini to cast their votes in the elections as they are nominated members of committee.

It was alleged in the petition that ruling BJP was misusing the powers for political gains and was allowing the MPs and MLAs to cast their votes for the election of president and vice-president in MC elections. As MPs and MLAs were not elected members of committee they were not entitled for voting, the petitioner had argued.

Acting on the petition, the HC had stayed declaration of result and also directed the authorities to keep votes of nominated members, local BJP MLA, Pawan Saini and Kurukshetra MP, Raj Kumar Saini’s votes in separate envelope.