Shimla: The issue of the reduction of Shimla Municipal Corporation wards from 41 to 34 has resulted in a tussle between the ruling party and the opposition. The ordinance to reduce the wards was introduced after the announcement of the elections to the Municipal Corporation Shimla and in the absence of the opposition. The issue has resulted in a tussle between the ruling party and the opposition.
The opposition has accused the government of playing politics to win the Corporation elections and changing the system to benefit their party. The government, however, defended the ordinance, stating that it was brought in the interest of the people.
BJP MLA Randhir Sharma called it an insult to the House and raised the question of order. He pointed out that the bill was introduced after the announcement of the elections and was brought in the absence of the opposition.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan dismissed the opposition’s concerns, stating that it was not serious. He accused the opposition of walking out of the house to grab headlines. The parliamentary minister further added that the present government had the right to pass any law through an ordinance, and the previous government also brought many ordinances.
Opposition Leader Jairam Thakur expressed dissatisfaction over the reduction of wards and accused the government of playing politics to win the Corporation elections. He stated that the work which was to be done by the Election Commission is being done by the government, and the commission has been paralysed.
Thakur further alleged that 11,000 new votes were made overnight, and the leaders sat down with the officers to make these votes. He accused the government of changing the roster and turning everything upside down. He stated that a person can be a permanent resident at only one place and cannot be in two places.
Thakur accused the government of not allowing the opposition to speak and claimed that the system was flawed. He stated that the opposition was not being allowed to participate in the discussion on the bill, which was brought in the interest of the state.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh defended the ordinance and said that the change was done for the good of all the people. He stated that municipal elections are mandatory to be held before the assembly elections, but the system was changed in such a way that elections were not held. The number of wards was made into law by bringing an ordinance.
The CM further added that the opposition should participate in the discussion on the bill brought in the interest of Shimla. He accused the opposition of walking out of the house to disrupt proceedings.
