Phagwara mayoral poll: HC appoints ex-judge as observer

Justice Harbans Lal (retd) has been appointed as an independent observer for elections to be held on February 1

- Navrajdeep Singh

JALANDHAR: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday appointed a former high court judge, Justice Harbans Lal, as an independent observer for the Phagwara mayoral polls to be held on February 1.

The division bench of the court passed the order after hearing the petition filed by Congress councillor Bikram Singh, who had claimed that the order passed by the high court regarding the January 25 elections was not complied with by the authorities.

The polls were to be held on January 25 and the high court had also given directions for the same. However, it got postponed after a ruckus during the first meeting of the newly elected councillors.

On that day, the newly elected councillors were administered the oath of office, but the ruckus erupted after divisional commissioner Arun Sekhri named AAP councillor from ward 16, Vicky Krishan Sood, as the pro-tem speaker to preside over the elections of the mayor, senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor.

"It is an unfortunate situation, where despite clear and categorical directions of this court, the respondent authorities instead of complying with the directions of this court, has given rise to the instant second round of litigation," the court lamented.