Chandigarh, June 18, 2018. A delegation of the nominated members of the Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh led by Sh. Davesh Moudgil, Mayor Chandigarh today called on Sh. Satya Pal Jain, Ex BJP MP, Additional Solicitor General of India and a Member of the Law Commission of India, to discuss certain legal issues facing the Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh. In addition to Mayor Davesh Moudgil, Sarv Shri Sat Prakash Aggarwal, Sh. Charanjiv Singh, Dr. Jyotsna Vig, Ms. Shipra Bansal, Smt. Kamla Sharma and Sh. Ajay Datta were part of the delegation. Sh. Haji Mohd. Khurshid Ali and Maj. Gen. Kaundal could not join being out of station.
Mr. Jain told the nominated councillors that while giving his opinion that nominated councillors can become Chairperson and Vice Chairpersons of the various committees of the Corporation, he did not show any favour to anyone but only narrated the true legal and constitutional position in this regard. He said that the nominated councillors are as good members of the Corporation as other members are but only with a rider that nominated members cannot vote, in view of the High Court judgment.
Mr. Jain told them that the issue of voting right of the nominated councillors is pending consideration in the Supreme Court and the Government of India is fully with the Chandigarh Administration and the Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh in their appeal against the High Court order to the Supreme Court. He said that the right to vote to nominated members was given by the Central Government in 1994 and the Government of India is determined to defend that right in the Supreme Court as well.
He said that the issue of voting right of the nominated councillors is a purely constitutional issue which involves the interpretation of Article 243(R) and Article 243(ZB) of the Constitution of India which will be done by the Supreme Court whenever the hearing takes place.