DC Admits Error, Corrects It Before Voting
Munish Sood
Mandi: A brief controversy erupted during Monday’s election for the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the Mandi Municipal Corporation after Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Jairam Thakur objected to what he described as a serious procedural lapse in the nomination process being overseen by the District Election Officer (Deputy Commissioner).
According to sources present during the proceedings, Jairam Thakur pointed out that the nomination papers submitted for the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor were not in conformity with the prescribed election procedure. Under the applicable municipal election rules, nomination papers are required to be duly supported by a proposer and Thakur argued that the scrutiny process had not been conducted in accordance with these provisions.
Sources said the District Election Officer was initially reluctant to accept the objection and maintained that the process was in order. However, after the relevant election rules were examined, the officer acknowledged the procedural error and directed that the necessary correction be made before the voting process moved ahead.
Jairam Thakur later claimed that had the mistake not been rectified in time, the election could have been challenged on legal grounds and the entire process might have come under serious question. He said strict adherence to election rules is essential to maintain the sanctity, transparency and credibility of democratic institutions.
The objection led to a brief delay in the proceedings before the corrected process was completed and polling resumed. The elections were subsequently conducted peacefully and the results were declared.
The incident has sparked political discussion in Mandi, with the BJP maintaining that timely intervention prevented a potential legal dispute over the election process. The district administration has not yet issued an official statement on the matter.
Editor’s Note: This report is based on claims made by Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur and information available from those present during the election proceedings. The version of the District Election Officer and the district administration is awaited.
