Shimla: Chaos erupted after BJP councillors staged a walkout during the presentation of a surplus budget of Rs 688 crore for the financial year 2026-27 by Shimla mayor Surinder Chauhan on Friday.The opposition members objected to Chauhan presenting the budget, claiming that his two-and-a-half-year term ended last year and he was not constitutionally authorised to continue in office.
BJP councillors gathered near the mayor’s seat, calling the presentation of the budget unconstitutional. They claimed that even the ordinance passed by the state govt last year related to the extension of the mayor’s tenure up to five years had lapsed.The saffron party councillors argued that although Himachal Pradesh assembly passed a bill on Feb 16 to extend the mayor’s tenure to five years, it was yet to receive the governor’s assent. They maintained that in the absence of an official govt notification the extension was invalid.BJP councillors also challenged the extension of mayor’s tenure in the high court on the ground that it was now the turn of a woman councillor to become the mayor and that Chauhan was illegally continuing in the post. The case would come up for hearing later this month.As soon as mayor Surinder Chauhan began reading the budget speech at the Bachat Bhawan, BJP members created a ruckus, demanding proof of the tenure extension. Despite repeated protests and sloganeering, the mayor continued his speech. Thereafter, the BJP councillors walked out and later submitted a memorandum to deputy commissioner Anupam Kashyap, urging him to forward their objections to the state govt.The Shimla municipal corporation budget outlines plans to provide sanitary napkins in all public toilets across the city, and to set up dedicated feeding rooms for breastfeeding mothers at The Ridge and Mall Road.The mayor further announced the allocation of food vans at 26 designated locations to create self-employment opportunities for unemployed women and youth. In addition, the budget includes a proposal to operate e-carts in Shimla’s core areas and to develop parking facilities and parks in every ward of Shimla.MSID:: 128611826 413 |
