MC poll on party symbols: Cabinet may take call today

Tribune News Service

Shimla, February 22

The Cabinet is likely to take a call on the issue of holding the municipal corporation elections on party symbols and bring them under the ambit of the Anti-Defection law.

BJP for decision, wants definite win

The BJP is keen that the elections to the urban local bodies are held on the party symbols so that it could claim definite win and not let the Congress take the benefit of doubt.

The issue will be placed before the Cabinet at its meeting scheduled for tomorrow. The Cabinet will also approve the Governor’s address for the forthcoming Budget session of the Vidhan Sabha, commencing on February 26.

The BJP is keen that the elections to the urban local bodies are held on the party symbols so that it could claim definite win and not let the Congress take the benefit of doubt. However, the necessary legal provisions need be put in place to pave the way for the MC poll to be held on party symbols.

The elections to the four municipal corporations and six newly constituted nagar panchayats of Anni and Nirmand (Kullu), Chirgaon and Nerwa (Shimla), Kandaghat (Solan) and Amb (Una) will be held before April when the term of the Dharamsala MC expires. All other urban bodies will go to the polls for the first time.

The number of the nagar panchayats in the state has gone up to 28 while the number of municipal corporations, too, has increased from two (Shimla and Dharamsala) to five. This has also resulted in the number of municipal councils coming down from 31 to 28.

Besides, making a provision for the elections on party symbols, the BJP government also wants to put in place the Anti-Defection law so as to prevent any possible horse trading post-election.