CHANDIGARH, Jan 2 — The election for Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor, and Deputy Mayor of Chandigarh will be held on January 29, with the city administration issuing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the new show-of-hands voting system.
Dr Ramneek Singh Bedi, a nominated councillor, has been designated as the Returning Officer for the meeting and will oversee the election proceedings in accordance with the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976. “The election shall be conducted strictly as per the law, approved procedures, and SOPs,” the notification said.
Deputy Commissioner Nishant Yadav, responsible for the conduct of the elections, announced the SOPs to ensure transparency, accountability, and clarity. The guidelines detail the pre-voting protocol, order of voting, hand-raising procedure, counting, verification, recording, and declaration of results. Councillors will raise their hands clearly when their choice is called, and votes will be visually verified and verbally confirmed. A register of votes will be maintained and recorded in the meeting minutes to avoid disputes.
The DC directed that the entire election will be continuously videographed without editing, with recordings preserved for at least 90 days. Media coverage and live feeds will be allowed as permissible, to maintain transparency.
Attendance and security protocols have also been clarified. Councillors will not be accompanied by supporters or security personnel from other states, and only authorised individuals will be allowed inside the Municipal Corporation premises. Chandigarh Police have been tasked with ensuring the safety of councillors and officials and maintaining peace and order throughout the election process.
Yadav visited the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation to review arrangements and procedural readiness. Senior officials briefed the Returning Officer on administrative, logistical, and security measures in place to ensure smooth and lawful conduct of the election.
