The Municipal Corporation, in its reply filed through its Secretary, stated that giving voting rights to nominated councillors, who are eminent and distinguished personalities, will help in the choice of a good Mayor, Senior Mayor, Deputy Mayor and likewise in the functioning of the corporation. The reply further reads “The very purpose of making a provision for the nomination of councillors is to treat them equal to the elected councillors so that they should have a say in the decision making of the Corporation.”

In its separate short reply, the UT Administration has claimed that the nomination of nine councillors is in consonance with the provisions of the “Punjab Municipal Corporation Law Act, 1994,” and that under Article 243 ZB of the constitution, the President of India was well within his powers to apply to the Union Territories the provisions of Article 243 R of the constitution with whatever amendments. The same stand has been taken by the MC regarding the validity of the extension laws.

The UT has also claimed that a total of 73 applications were received by the Administrator from individuals, as well as commissioner, MC, Chandigarh, MP from Chandigarh Constituency and some other leaders, seeking nomination of those 73 persons as councillors, and nine out of them were nominated based on the interaction of the Administrator with various sections of the society and the impressions gathered.

Three held guilty for murder

A local court today held three youths guilty for murdering a local resident. Those held guilty are: Harish Kumar; Sunil alias Chikna and Manpreet. While Harish and Sunil are behind the bars, Manpreet has been declared a proclaimed offender.