Chandigarh/Kapurthala: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has stayed the election of the Mayor of the Kapurthala Municipal Corporation. Hearing a petition filed by MLA Rana Gurjit Singh and 26 councillors, the court also appointed Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner Akash Bansal as the Administrator of the Municipal Corporation until further orders.

The matter will now be heard on July 30.

A division bench comprising Justice Deepak Sibal and Justice Rupinder Chahal issued a notice to the Punjab government. The bench had earlier directed the state to produce the complete records, proceedings and video recording of the Municipal Corporation’s first meeting and the election process held on July 8.

Petitioners Claim They Had Clear Majority

Appearing for the petitioners, senior advocate Chetan Mittal, along with advocates Ajay Chadha, Kunal Mulwani and others, informed the court that the Congress and its supported candidates had secured a clear majority in the Municipal Corporation elections held on May 26, 2026, winning most of the 50 wards.

They submitted that the Municipal Corporation has a total of 51 voters, including the MLA, with 27 belonging to the Congress and its allies, while the ruling side and its supporters have 24 councillors. Despite this, they alleged that the first meeting of the corporation was not convened within the stipulated time under the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976.

Allegations of Delay and Denial of Voting Process

The petition alleged that the first meeting was deliberately delayed to exert pressure on the councillors enjoying the majority and that dissenting councillors were allegedly threatened with false criminal cases.

According to the petition, the first meeting was finally held on July 8 following the High Court’s intervention. However, after the oath-taking ceremony, only the group comprising 24 councillors was addressed.

The petitioners further alleged that the group of 27 majority councillors was neither allowed to propose its mayoral candidate nor was any voting conducted. Despite this, the presiding officer declared the Mayor elected and left the venue.

Questions Raised Over Video Recording

The petition also alleged that elections for the posts of Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor were not conducted.

It further claimed that despite administrative directions, the entire proceedings of the meeting were not videographed and only selected portions of the meeting were recorded.