2016 Chandigarh Municipal elections results shared as those during the ongoing farmers' protests - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 28, 2021
A post claiming that amidst the farmers’ protests, BJP has bagged 20 seats in Chandigarh Municipal Corporation elections, whereas the Congress party won four seats, while Akali Dal and Independent candidate have won one seat each is being widely shared across social media platforms. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Amidst the farmers’ protests, BJP has bagged 20 seats in Chandigarh Municipal Corporation elections.
Fact: 2016 Chandigarh Municipal corporation election results are being shared now as if they took place recently. The recent mayoral election held on 8 January 2021 is being miscontrued as elections to the corporation. Elections for the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation were held in 2016 and the house will complete its five-year term at the end of 2021. As per The Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976, the mayor of the corporation holds one year term and is elected every year from among the elected representatives. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
Through Google search, we found that recently on 08 January 2021, Chandigarh Municipal Corporation has witnessed a Mayor election and not Corporation election. According to The Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976 which is also extended to Chandigarh, the mayor of the corporation holds one year term and is elected every year from among the elected representatives. Section 38 (1) of the act stipulates ‘the corporation at its first meeting in each year elect one of the elected members to be the chairperson (known as Mayor)’. Tenure wise details of all the mayors since the inception of the corporation in 1996 can be found here.
In the latest mayoral election held on 08 January 2021, BJP has clinched the mayor’s seat by a big margin. This will be the last mayoral election of the current house of the municipal corporation as the corporation’s term will end in December 2021.
The results being shared in the social media posts are actually of 2016 Chandigarh municipal corporation election results. In the 2016 corporation elections, BJP has bagged 20 seats, Congress party won 4 seats, while Akali Dal and the Independent candidate have won one seat each. From this, it is evident that the 2016 corporation election results are misconstrued and being circulated as those held recently.
In the light of the recent tractors rally by farmers which led to a violent clash between farmers and the police, posts like these are being circulated on social media with misleading claims.
To sum it up, 2016 Chandigarh Municipal Corporation elections results are being shared now as if they were of the recent election.