Gurgaon: Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday issued a notice to the MCG commissioner on a contempt petition alleging wilful disobedience of its earlier order.The petition — filed by a resident and city-based advocate — had referred to the earlier court order directing that elections to the posts of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor be conducted within eight weeks.With the HC now formally issuing notice in the contempt proceedings, MCG will have to explain why the elections have not been held despite its categorical assurance before the court.Justice Deepak Gupta issued the notice of motion to the respondents — MCG commissioner Pradeep Dahiya and MCG — and granted them time to file their reply. The matter has been adjourned to Sept 15. MCG house was elected on March 12, 2025, and the elections of the deputies have been pending since then.The contempt petition alleges that MCG has failed to comply with HC’s order issued on March 5, passed in a writ petition, wherein the state had assured the court that elections to the two posts would be held within eight weeks.During Thursday’s hearing, counsel for the petitioner submitted that despite the expiry of the eight-week period, the elections have still not been conducted.Counsel appearing for the respondents accepted notice and sought time to file a reply, which the court allowed.The contempt was filed after MCG’s failure to hold the elections despite convening a special House meeting on April 30 for the purpose. The election process, however, was deferred after mayor Raj Rani Malhotra did not attend the meeting, citing medical reasons.Although 32 of the corporation’s 36 councillors were present, the elections were postponed after nearly an hour of waiting.The petitioner has contended that the failure to conduct the elections despite the court-monitored timeline amounts to deliberate non-compliance with the judicial order.“Counsel of the petitioner submits that despite the lapse of period of eight weeks, the election to the posts of senior deputy mayor/deputy mayor in MCG have not been conducted till date. Notice of motion,” read the order.Meanwhile, the civic body’s house meeting was cancelled due to the rain since the mayor directed all the officials and engineers to be present on the ground to address waterlogging in their respective wards.
