Himachal Pradesh News
Himachal Pradesh High Court Defers Hearing on Shimla Mayor Tenure Case to March 19
The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Thursday deferred the hearing on a petition challenging the tenure of the Mayor of the Municipal Corporation Shimla. The matter will now be taken up on March 19, giving the court more time to examine the legal developments surrounding the issue.
The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Thursday deferred the hearing on a petition challenging the tenure of the Mayor of the Municipal Corporation Shimla. The matter will now be taken up on March 19, giving the court more time to examine the legal developments surrounding the issue.
During the hearing, the state government informed the court that the Bill passed by the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly regarding the Mayor’s tenure has now received the Governor’s assent. However, the government also clarified that the legislation has not yet been published in the official gazette, and therefore it cannot be implemented at this stage.
Because of this procedural step still pending, the state argued that the court should refrain from passing any order in the current petition for now.
Petitioners question applicability of the new law
Lawyers representing the petitioners argued that when the petition was originally filed, no law existed allowing the Shimla Mayor to continue beyond the earlier tenure of two-and-a-half years.
They further claimed that the legislation which has now received the Governor’s assent is not the same Bill that was initially introduced, but rather a fresh Bill passed again by the Assembly. According to them, the new law should only apply prospectively and cannot be used to justify the continuation of the current Mayor’s tenure.
Court to decide whether petition needs amendment
After hearing both sides, the High Court decided to adjourn the matter in order to examine an important legal question — whether any order can be passed under the current petition or whether the petition will need to be amended in light of the new law.
The case will now come up for further hearing on March 19 before the division bench.
Background: Ordinance extended Mayor’s tenure to five years
The controversy began when the state government issued an ordinance extending the tenure of the sitting Shimla Mayor, Surender Chauhan, from two-and-a-half years to five years. The ordinance was promulgated just before the existing term was set to end on November 14, 2025.
This move was later challenged in the High Court through a Public Interest Litigation (PIL).
To replace the ordinance, the government introduced a Bill in the Assembly, which was passed on December 4, 2025, and sent to the Governor for approval.
In January 2026, the Governor returned the Bill with certain objections. The government subsequently reintroduced the Bill on February 16, and it was passed again the same day. The Bill was then sent back to the Governor and has now received assent.
However, the legislation still awaits official notification in the gazette, which is required before it can come into effect.
Details of the petition
The case is being heard by a division bench of Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Bipin Chander Negi.
The petition has been filed by advocate Anjali Soni Verma, who has challenged the state government’s decision to extend the Mayor’s tenure.
The respondents in the case include:
- The Urban Development Department of the Himachal Pradesh government
- The Himachal Pradesh State Election Commission
- Shimla Mayor Surender Chauhan
In the petition, it has been alleged that the ordinance extending the Mayor’s tenure to five years was introduced with the intention of granting undue benefit to a particular individual.
