Elections long overdue in Punjab’s 5 municipal corporations and 40 councils

One reason for this delay is that even after the completion of the terms of the municipal corporations, a legal battle over the delimitation of wards is going on.

“The terms of the municipal corporations of Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar and Patiala were over in March 2023. The General House was dissolved in March 2023 and polls had to be conducted within six months, but strangely enough, the AAP government started the work of delimitation of wards within the six months. Those who had objections to the work have moved the high court and the matter is in court now,” said Mamta Ashu, a former Congress councillor of ward no 67.

Many wards have got over 20,000 voters and a few others only about 5,000 voters, Mamta said.

“So this is a huge disparity. Perhaps they (the state government) intentionally started the delimitation exercise to delay the municipal polls as they have failed on all fronts,” she added.

Mamta is the wife of former Congress minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu.

The municipal corporation commissioners and other officers are now handling day-to-day affairs in the local bodies.

Dilraj Singh, former Congress councillor of ward no 70 of Ludhiana, said, “As the matter related to the delimitation work in the four municipal corporations is in court, we have to wait and watch. My term as a councillor ended in March 2023 and various municipal corporations are waiting for elected members.”

When contacted, AAP chief spokesperson Malwinder Singh Kang said the ruling party was ready for the elections. “There were issues related to voter lists, delimitation of wards… I think everything will be resolved soon. The Matter is sub judice in many cases. Otherwise, the AAP is ready for the polls anytime.”

Municipal councils

The terms of the municipal councils of Dera Baba Nanak, Sardulgarh, Taran Taran, Sangrur, Rampura Phull and Nadala ended in March 2020, while the terms of 34 other municipal councils ended between December 2022 and February 2023. All of them are awaiting polls.

Number of wards

With 95 wards, Ludhiana is the biggest municipal corporation in the state, followed by Amritsar (90 wards) Jalandhar (80 wards) and Patiala (60 wards). One ward of the Bathinda Municipal Corporation fell vacant in February 2022 after councillor Jagrup Singh Gill switched from the Congress to the AAP and contested the Assembly polls. Gill won with a huge margin.

“The election in that one ward is also pending,” said Sarup Singla, Bathinda district president of the BJP.