High Court Extends Voting Deadline as Congress Wins Tijara Municipal Chairman Seat
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A high-stakes political standoff over the Tijara Municipal Council election culminated in dramatic late-night victory scenes after the Rajasthan High Court intervened to extend the voting deadline, allowing Congress candidate Ram Avtar Saini to be officially elected as Chairman. In an intense contest that unfolded past midnight, Saini secured the coveted civic post by capturing 18 votes in the 35-member council, hitting the exact threshold required for an absolute majority. Returning Officer and Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Divya formally handed over the certificate of election following official vote counting after 10 PM on Monday night, concluding a 24-hour political thriller marked by street protests, allegations of illegal detentions across state borders, and emergency judicial hearings.
Midnight Court Battles: Justice Anup Kumar Dhand Orders Probe Into Alleged Haryana Interceptions
The electoral dispute landed directly before the Jaipur Bench of the Rajasthan High Court on Monday afternoon following explosive allegations that Congress-backed municipal councilors were forcibly intercepted in Haryana while returning from an orientation camp in Himachal Pradesh. Senior party leaders alleged that the convoy of lawmakers was halted near Panchkula to deliberately stall their entry into Tijara before regular voting hours expired. Taking up the urgent petition, a single-judge bench headed by Justice Anup Kumar Dhand issued strict directions to the Bhiwadi Additional District Magistrate (ADM) to conduct an immediate factual inquiry and submit a detailed incident report to the State Election Commission, ensuring the constitutional voting rights of elected representatives remained safeguarded.
Police Station Dharna and Extended Hours: How Ram Avtar Saini Crossed the Majority Mark
The confrontation began brewing at 3:30 AM on Monday when former MLA Sandeep Yadav, District Congress President Balram Yadav, and candidate Ram Avtar Saini marched to the Returning Officer's residence, demanding polling be stayed until missing councilors could be safely escorted to the booth. Congress functionaries later filed formal complaints with Tijara SHO Jai Prakash and launched an aggressive sit-in demonstration outside the police station, claiming detained councilors had circulated video distress messages citing security threats while alleging Sandeep Yadav had been temporarily held in Farrukhnagar near Gurugram. With only 16 of the 35 members having cast their ballots by 2 PM, the State Election Commission complied with judicial scrutiny by progressively extending the polling cutoff from 8 PM to 10 PM. As soon as all councilors arrived and completed their balloting before the revised cutoff, officials conducted immediate counting, confirming Saini's dramatic 18-vote triumph to secure the municipal helm.
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