Activities on for Jalandhar parliament seat 

There is possibility that the Jalandhar parliament by-election may be announced soon by the Election Commission of India. The seat has been vacant with the sudden demise of Santokh Singh Chaudhary, MP. Chaudhary was accompanying Congress senior leader Rahul Gandhi during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Punjab. There is possibility that Congress may allocate party ticket for contesting the parliament by- election to any one of the family members of Late Santokh Singh Chaudhary keeping in mind the sympathy to the family. However, nothing concrete is there in this regard so far. Jalandhar parliament seat has always been considered as Congress strong hold since Independence. In 1952 to 1957 Indian National Congress candidate Amar Nath represented this seat, 1957 to 1977 Swaran Singh (Indian National Congress) represented this seat. In 1977, Iqbal Singh Dhillon of Shiriomni Akali Dal represented this seat up to 1980. From 1980 to 1989 Rajinder Singh Sparrow candidate of Indian National Congress represented this seat. In 1989, Inder Kumar Gujral of Janata Dal represented this seat. In 1992. Yash of Indian National Congress and after his death in by-election Umrao Singh represented this seat from 1993 to 1996. From 1996 to 1998 Darbara Singh of Shiriomni Akali Dal represented this seat and from 1998 to 1999 again Janata Dal Candidate Inder Kumar Gujral represented this seat, from 1999 to 2004 Balbir Singh of Indian National Congress represented this seat, from 2004 to 2009 Rana Gurjit Singh of Indian National Congress represented this seat, from 2009 to 2014 Mohinder Singh Kaypee of Indian National Congress represented this constituency and from 2014 to till now 2023 Santokh Singh Chaudhary of Congress represented this constituency till death. Keeping in mind the sympathy vote Congress high command is quite confident of winning this by- election and considering this seat as stronghold of Congress. In the 2019 parliament elections Charanjit Singh Atwal was the candidate of BJP-SAD alliance but lost the seat with a very thin margin. Meanwhile, all the political parties are gearing up for the Jalandhar parliament by-election and municipal corporation elections. Series of meetings are being held by the senior leaders of various political parties with their cadre to mobilise the workers up to grass root level. 

MUNICIPAL CORPORATION ELECTIONS IN PUNJAB 
As the term of the elected members of the municipal corporation has ended this week, hectic activities by the ticket seekers have started in their areas through mass contact programmes and highlighting their achievements they have carried out in the past five years in their areas. Development has always been the major agenda of the elected municipal corporation members by carrying out beautification works, new roads, street light arrangements, safe drinking water, sewerage system and basic other civic amenities. Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Amritsar come under the smart city project. The Union Government under the Smart City project have already released ample of funds for the development, beautification, providing basic civic amenities to the residents. All the political parties will be fielding its candidates in these elections. 

DELIMITATION OF WARDS 
The new demarcation of municipal wards as delimitation of wards is in progress and soon the new wards will be finalised and the elections are likely to be announced soon. The question is that whether municipal corporation elections are held earlier before the Jalandhar parliament by-election or after the Jalandhar parliament by-election will be held.
 
Authored by:
Rajat Kumar Mohindru,
Journalist,
Jalandhar city.