3 days ago
AAP, Congress Councillors Elected to Ludhiana Civic Finance Committee
Ludhiana’s city council had two empty seats on an important money and contracts committee.
The seats were filled through an election instead of being appointed.
AAP’s Yuvraj Singh Sidhu won one seat, and Congress’s Gaurav Bhatti won the other.
The election used a system where voters rank candidates by preference.
Sidhu got the most first-choice votes.
Bhatti won after votes from an eliminated candidate were transferred to him.
The election happened because Bhatti challenged earlier appointments in court.
Bhatti still objected to six AAP lawmakers voting and said some of his votes were wrongly rejected.
AAP councillor Yuvraj Singh Sidhu and Congress councillor Gaurav Bhatti won two vacant F&CC seats.
Sidhu received the most first-preference votes, while Bhatti won after the Single Transferable Vote process.
AAP nominee Aman Bagga Khurana and BJP candidate Ruchi Gulati were defeated.
The election followed a Punjab and Haryana High Court order after Bhatti challenged direct nominations.
Bhatti questioned six AAP MLAs voting and alleged that three of his votes were declared invalid.
- Who
- AAP councillor Yuvraj Singh Sidhu and Congress councillor Gaurav Bhatti won the seats; Aman Bagga Khurana and Ruchi Gulati lost.
- What
- Two members were elected to the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation’s Finance and Contractual Committee.
- Where
- Ludhiana Municipal Corporation, Punjab.
- When
- The election took place on Saturday; the article does not specify the date.
- Why
- The election followed a Punjab and Haryana High Court order after Gaurav Bhatti challenged the direct nomination of committee members.
Bhatti’s objections
Election authorities’ account
Participation of MLAs
Bhatti’s objections
Gaurav Bhatti questioned why six AAP MLAs voted, arguing that they were not members of the 95-member Municipal Corporation House.
Election authorities’ account
The election proceeded with the participation of six AAP MLAs representing constituencies covering urban wards; the article does not report an official response addressing Bhatti’s objection.
Validity of votes
Bhatti’s objections
Bhatti alleged that three of his votes were declared invalid and said the ruling AAP tried to sabotage the election.
Election authorities’ account
Commissioner Ojasvi Alankar said the election was conducted by secret ballot under the Single Transferable Vote system, with proceedings videographed as directed by the High Court.
Outcome and political meaning
Bhatti’s objections
Bhatti said his victory, despite the alleged invalid votes and MLA participation, represented a setback for the ruling AAP.
Election authorities’ account
The reported count showed Sidhu finishing first and Bhatti second after Ruchi Gulati’s votes were transferred during the STV process.
Key facts
- Committee
- Finance and Contractual Committee of the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation
- Seats
- Two vacant seats
- Voting method
- Secret ballot using the Single Transferable Vote system
- House composition
- 95 councillors: 49 AAP, 24 Congress, 18 BJP, two SAD and one Independent
- First-preference votes
- Yuvraj Singh Sidhu 37, Aman Bagga Khurana 22, Gaurav Bhatti 19 and Ruchi Gulati 15
- Final reported totals
- Sidhu 32, Bhatti 29.22 and Khurana 27.4
- Committee role
- The F&CC clears major development works and is described as the Ludhiana MC’s most powerful decision-making body
Quotes
Ojasvi Alankar
Ludhiana Municipal Corporation commissioner
“The ruling AAP tried its best to sabotage the election. How and why the six ruling party MLAs voted? They are not the members of the 95-member MC House. The Punjab MC Act clearly says that the councillors have to elect the two F&CC members ‘amongst themselves’”
indianexpress.com
“As per the MC by-laws, STV is the preferred method for election”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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