30012025-CT-01.qxd 1/30/2025 12:31 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune MOTORCYCLIST KILLED IN HALLO MAJRA HIT-&-RUN DETECT EARLY SIGNS OF STROKE THROUGH ‘NAMASTE’ SHAHID KAPOOR TALKS ABOUT HIS UPCOMING FILM DEVA The accused, who was driving a mini-truck, fled the spot after the accident P2 The initiative is aimed at spreading awareness about stroke detection using the traditional greeting. P2 Bollywood star Shahid Kapoor on Tuesday teased a connection between Devaand the 1975 classic Deewaar. P4 » » Dushyant Singh Pundir Tribune News Service WHAT’S ON CHANDIGARH Theatre Festival: By CSNA Haryana Rang Utsav, play “Nati Binodni” to be staged on January 30, Tagore Theatre, Sector 18, 6 pm Dhrupad Vadan: By Italian artistes of Samvad, being organised by Indian National Theatre, February 1, 11:30 am, Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration, Sector 26 Inkreadible Writers Festival: February 2, 10 am to 6 pm, Infosys Campus, IT Park Exhibition of works by architect SD Sharma: On till February 15, Government Museum and Art Gallery, Sector 10 APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 34, 56 and Ram Darbar Panchkula: Sector 5 Mohali: Sector 76 Please send information about events in tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com Chandigarh, January 29 The Municipal Corporation (MC) House will witness a direct contest between the BJP and the AAP-Congress alliance for the posts of Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor tomorrow. The BJP has fielded Harpreet Kaur Babla against AAP’s Prem Lata for the post of Mayor. Bimala Dubey and Lakhbir Singh Billu are the saffron party candidates for the posts of Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor respectively. The Congress, adhering to its pact with AAP has fielded , Jasbir Singh Bunty and Taruna Mehta for the posts of Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor, respectively. The election is likely to see a tough contest, with the alliance appearing to have the upper hand. Together, they have 20 votes in the 35member MC House —13 votes of AAP six of the Con, gress and one vote of ex-officio member MP Manish Tewari. The BJP holds 16 votes and is relying on crossvoting or defections to achieve the 19-vote mark needed for a majority. The election will be held at 11 am in the Assembly Hall of the MC office in Sector 17. The results will be declared continued on page 3 FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Justice Thakur to ‘observe’ poll process, visits MC office Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service A CCTV camera being installed near the MC office in Sector 17 on Wednesday. PHOTO: PRADEEP TEWARI Incumbent Mayor booked for cheating Tribune News Service Chandigarh, January 29 The UT police have registered a case against Mayor Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor and his brother-in-law, Rahul, on charges of cheating and corruption. The complaint was filed by Ravi, a resident of Ram Darbar. He alleged that he paid Rs 75,000 to Rahul who promised him that he would get him a job of safai karamchari (sanitation worker). He alleged that the Mayor directed him to meet Rahul regarding the arrangement. Follow- PENS, PENCILS NOT ALLOWED IN HALL The mayoral elections will be held by secret ballot. Voters will not be allowed to show the front of ballot paper to any person while casting vote. No mobile phones, camera, weapons, electronic gadgets, pens and pencils will be allowed in the assembly hall of the MC building during the election process. ing negotiations, the payment was reportedly made via UPI in multiple transac- c m y b tions on September 10, 11 and 13 last year. He didn’t get any job despite paying money, Ravi claimed. A purported call recording has also surfaced online, in which the complainant is heard discussing the payment and requesting a posting in Ram Darbar. Ravi also alleged that he was threatened with dire consequences if he disclosed the matter to anyone. Despite repeated attempts, Kuldeep could not be reached for comment. continued on page 3 MAX 25°C | MIN 9°C YESTERDAY MAX 23.7°C | MIN 9.4°C SUNRISE FRIDAY 7.14 AM /THETRIBUNECHD City to get new Mayor today MAINLY CLEAR SKY SUNSET THURSDAY 5.58 PM » THURSDAY | 30 JANUARY 2025 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST Chandigarh, January 29 Appointed by the Supreme Court earlier this week as an independent observer for the mayoral poll, Justice Jaishree Thakur today visited the MC office to oversee the arrangements and familiarise herself with the process. The election will be conducted under her direct supervision, with proceedings being recorded on camera. Justice Thakur, a citizen of Chandigarh, retired from the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the middle of last year, after nearly nine years on the Bench. In a conversation with The Tribune, Justice Thakur said an observer's role is not too vast. "It is to observe and ensure the process is carried out in a fair and transparent manner," she said. The Supreme Court's deci- Justice Jaishree Thakur sion to appoint Justice Thakur as an independent observer follows a plea by Chandigarh's incumbent Mayor Kuldeep Kumar of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Kumar had sought a direction to the UT Administration to hold the mayoral election by show of hands instead of secret ballot to ensure fairness in the process. The Bench led by Justice Surya Kant, however, rejected the plea and said it would not interfere with the high court's view on this issue. Given the controversy surrounding Chandigarh's mayoral elections -wherein the Supreme Court had set aside BJP candidate Manoj Sonkar's victory last year due to ballot-tampering allegations - the appointment of a neutral observer became crucial. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, stated, "History may not repeat itself every time," while not opposing the appointment of an independent observer. The SC also directed authorities to record the election proceedings and mandated security arrangements to prevent any irregularities. The Returning Officer has been instructed to coordinate with Justice Thakur ahead of the polls to facilitate smooth conduct. Power employees booked for defying order Chandigarh, January 29 The police have booked several employees of the Electricity Department for defying the District Magistrate’s (DM) orders. According to the complaint filed by ASI Sailender Singh, a group of around 30 people gathered in Sector 25. They were raising slogans against the privatisation of the electricity department and marching toward the Sector 25 colony. They had no per- mission from the DM to hold the demonstration. A case under Section 223 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered. — TNS