28022024-CT-01.qxd 2/28/2024 12:33 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune PANCHKULA MC LIKELY TO PRESENT ~250 CR BUDGET STEP UP WORK AT MULLANPUR STADIUM, SAYS CHIEF SECY BIKER ROBBED OF ~22.25L AT FATEHGARH SAHIB Panchkula Municipal Corporation will hold a special Budget meeting on February 29. P2 Punjab Chief Secy Anurag Verma tells officials to immediately complete works near stadium. P2 Car-borne robbers allegedly loot ~22.25L from biker near Madhopur Chowk on GT Road, Sirhind. P2 » » AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH 183 PANCHKULA 66 MOHALI 172 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD INBRIEF 2 HELD WITH PISTOL Chandigarh: The police have arrested two persons with a pistol and four cartridges. Sunny and Umang, both residents of Rohtak, were arrested near the District Courts, Sector 43. TNS BIKER KILLED Chandigarh: Bahadur Singh of Buterla village died after being hit by an SUV at the Sector 29/30 light point. Chhavi Singh reported the matter to the police. TNS WHAT’S ON CHANDIGARH APNI MANDI: Sectors 15, 40, 46 and 52 MOHALI APNI MANDI: Phase11 PANCHKULA APNI MANDI: Sector 25 High Court issues strict guidelines, fresh nominations on Feb 28, 29 Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 27 Controversy over the election of Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor today trudged towards a solution with the UT Deputy Commissioner issuing a fresh notice directing, among other things, the holding of a meeting for the purpose on March 4. Taking note of the notice and the related developments, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court disposed of the matter this afternoon with a slew of directions, including video recording of the entire election process. Appearing before the Bench of Justice Sudhir Singh and Justice Harsh Bunger, the counsel for UT Chandigarh and the Municipal Corporation “fairly” stated that the entire election process, starting from calling fresh nominations for the two posts, would be carried out by the virtue of a fresh notification/notice issued in accordance with law. This was to obviate apprehensions of the councillors/candidates, to maintain the purity of elec- POLL PROCESS TO BE VIDEOGRAPHED ■ The entire election process would be videographed by the authorities ■ Councillors prohibited from being accompanied by supporters or security personnel from other states ■ Chandigarh Police directed to provide adequate security to councillors attending the voting process ADVANTAGE SAFFRON PARTY BJP AAP CONGRESS 18 10 7 (17 councillors and ex officio member, i.e. MP) tions, and the trust in representative democracy. It was, at the same time, stated the newly elected Mayor was to preside over the elections. As such, appropriate direction was required to be issued to him to assume charge of his office within 24 hours so that the further proceedings for holding the elections could be carried out in compliance with the Supreme Court directions. The Bench observed that the SAD 1 (voted for BJP last time) senior counsel appearing for the petitioners and the newly elected Mayor did not raise any objection to the course of action and undertook that he would assume charge by 10 am on February 28. The counsel appearing for the UT Deputy Commissioner then placed before the Bench the fresh notice, mentioning that the meeting would be held at 10 am in Chandigarh Municipal Corporation’s assembly hall on c m y b March 4 with Mayor Kuldeep Kumar as the presiding authority. The elected councillors were also called upon to file nominations for the election to the two posts and deliver the same from February 28 to February 29. Before parting with the order, the Bench directed that the newly elected Mayor would assume office by 10 am on February 28 at the Municipal Corporation Office in Chandigarh. He was instructed to ensure his association with the conduct of the upcoming elections. The Bench also made it clear that the elections would proceed in accordance with the notice issued today. The entire election process would be videographed by the authorities. The councillors attending the elections were prohibited from being accompanied by supporters or security personnel from other states. The Chandigarh Police was also directed to provide adequate security to the councillors attending the voting process, considering they would not have security personnel from other states accompanying them. MAX 25°C | MIN 11°C YESTERDAY MAX 21.2°C | MIN 12.9°C SUNRISE THURSDAY 6.49 AM TWITTER/THETRIBUNECHD Mayor to assume office today, polling for 2 posts on March 4 MAINLY CLEAR SKY SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.20 PM » WEDNESDAY | 28 FEBRUARY 2024 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Cong to go with same candidates Sandeep Rana Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 27 BJP councillors today went through the same experience as their Opposition counterparts on January 18. They kept waiting for the poll process to start at the MC assembly hall. The elections to the posts of Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor were scheduled for 10 am today. The councillors waited till about 12:30 pm before leaving the MC premises after the news about the new poll schedule came from the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Earlier, councillors Maheshinder Singh Sidhu and Kanwarjeet Rana called Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor a “bhagoda” (fugitive) for not turning up to hold the elections as presiding officer. “If a person is not well in his family, it does not mean he will not assume charge. Twothree more councillors will join us soon,” Rana told the media later. Councillor Harpreet Kaur Babla called it the Opposition’s tactic to avoid elections as they fear defeat. Saurabh Joshi said as per provisions of the MC Act, if Mayor is unavailable, Senior Deputy Mayor can act as presiding officer. However, it was not done. Before 10 am, AAP councillors Prem Lata and Yogesh Dhingra submitted a letter to Continued on page 2 Police inspect the crime scene in Mohali. TRIBUNE PHOTO 5 rounds fired at Sector 79 eatery Tribune News Service Mohali, February 27 Unidentified bike-borne persons fired five rounds at an eatery in Sector 79, targetting Bunty Bains, owner of a music company related to Sidhu Moosewala, last night. Bains said he had left the place just a while ago. He received a ransom call from foreign-based gangster Lucky Patial’s group immediately after the attack. The caller demanded Rs 1 crore and threatened him with dire consequences if the money was not paid on time. The Punjabi music producer, who has police and private security, has lodged a complaint with the police. Bains told The Tribune that he had been getting ransom calls for the past sometime. Sources Owner of music firm linked to Moosewala gets ~1 cr extortion call said Bains used to visit the eatery frequently as his house was located nearby. According to sources, CCTV footage shows that three persons came on a bike. One kept sitting on the bike and two fired shots at the restaurant. DSP City-2 Harsimran Singh Bal said four shells had been recovered from the spot. Cops are investigating as to whether a live social media post uploaded earlier by Bains might have alerted the assailants about his location. Lucky Patial is a member the Bambiha gang who are in tussle with the Lawrence Continued on page 2
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