HP High Court issues notice to state govt on PIL against extension of Shimla mayor's tenure

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], November 4 (ANI): The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Tuesday issued notice to the state government and other respondents while taking cognisance of a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the state cabinet's decision to extend the tenure of the Shimla Mayor and Deputy Mayor from two and a half years to five years.
The PIL, filed by advocate Anjali Soni Verma, contends that the government's recent ordinance extending the term violates the constitutional rights of women councillors and disrupts the existing reservation roster.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Jiya Lal Bhardwaj heard the matter and directed notices to the State of Himachal Pradesh, the Urban Development Department, the State Election Commission, and Shimla Mayor Surinder Chauhan (respondent No. 5).
The court fixed November 11 as the next date of hearing.
According to the order, the petitioner appeared in person. At the same time, Deputy Advocate General Arsh Rattan represented the state government, Advocate Surender Sharma represented the Election Commission, and Advocate Vivek Sharma represented the Urban Development Department. The bench permitted dasti (hand-delivered) notice to respondent No. 5.
In her petition, Verma has argued that the population of women in the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) is around 50 per cent, with 21 out of 34 councillors being women. Under the reservation roster, a Scheduled Caste woman councillor was due to assume the mayor's office after the completion of current Mayor Surinder Chauhan's term on November 15, 2025. However, the government's decision, she said, "deprives women councillors of their constitutional rights and representation."
The Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led cabinet had approved the ordinance on October 25, citing the need for administrative continuity in the functioning of the Municipal Corporation. However, the move has triggered strong opposition among councillors across party lines, who allege that the ordinance was brought "in undue haste" and without consultation with the elected representatives of the civic body.
The recent general house meeting of the Shimla MC witnessed uproar as councillors objected to the sudden change, asserting that it undermined the democratic process and the rights of women councillors.
The High Court's notice marks the first judicial scrutiny of the ordinance that effectively extends the current mayoral term from two and a half years to five years, overriding the scheduled reservation rotation system.
The respondents, including the State Government, Urban Development Department, State Election Commission, and Shimla Mayor Surinder Chauhan, have been asked to file their replies before the next hearing on November 11. (ANI)