HP to hold Municipal Corporation poll on party symbols

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh cabinet in its meeting on Tuesday decided to hold the next Municipal Corporation elections in four towns –Dharamshala, Palampur, Mandi and Solan on the party symbols.

The contesting candidates will be able to use their party symbols in the elections likely to be held in April 2021. The cabinet meeting was held under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur

Suresh Bhardwaj, minister for Urban local bodies, who briefed about the decision, said the state government will introduce amendments in Himachal Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act, 1994 and Himachal Pradesh Municipal Corporation Elections Rules, 2012 to facilitate holding of the polls on the party symbols –a pre- 2016 status.

In 2012, elections to Shimla Municipal Corporation were held on party symbols directly for the post of Mayor and Deputy Mayor but both positions were held by the CPM candidates Sanjay Chauhan and Tikender Panwar respectively.

Later Dharamshala Municipal Committee and Shimla Municipal Corporation elections were held on a non-party basis in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

Bhardwaj said the new amendments in the two Acts would pave way for conducting elections to Municipal Corporations on party symbols, provide reservation for OBCs, provision of disqualification on grounds of defection, strengthen provisions of no-confidence motion etc.

The cabinet also gave its nod to the Governor's address to be delivered during the Budget session of HP assembly on February 26.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur will present the state's Budget in the assembly on March 6.

The Cabinet gave its approval to provide government land for a period of 99 years at Dhaulakuan (Paonta Sahib) in Sirmaur to Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry Nauni for establishment of Regional Horticulture Research and Training Station for the benefit of the farmers.