Himachal Pradesh High Court has issued notices to the state government, State Election Commissioner, Director of Urban Development Department, and Shimla Municipal Corporation over the extension of the mayor’s tenure from two-and-a-half years to five years. The court has asked Mayor Surendra Chauhan to be served a personal notice through the petitioner. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Jialal Bhardwaj has asked all respondents to file their replies in the matter.
A public interest litigation has been filed in the High Court on this issue. Through the petition, the court was informed that there are 21 elected women councillors in Shimla Municipal Corporation. According to the rotation system, this post has been reserved for a Scheduled Caste woman for the next two-and-a-half years. Meanwhile, the state government issued an ordinance extending the mayor’s term from two-and-a-half years to five years.
The advocate informed the court that municipal corporation elections were held on May 15, 2023, in which 50 percent women won and became councillors. The mayor’s two-and-a-half-year term is completing on November 14, but the government has extended the term to five years by bringing an ordinance. The court will now examine the legality of this extension and its implications for women’s representation and the rotation system.
