Three newly elected BJP councillors in the Municipal Corporation (MC), Dharamsala, have landed in trouble ahead of the mayoral elections after the Kangra district administration recommended action against them over an alleged encroachment on government land.
The development assumes significance as the election to the top civic posts could not be held during the MC’s first meeting on June 29.
The meeting was adjourned after Congress councillors walked out immediately after taking the oath of office, resulting in a lack of quorum. The mayoral election has now been rescheduled to Wednesday.
Kangra DC Hemraj Bairwa has forwarded a recommendation to the Director of the Urban Development Department seeking action under Section 8(1)(l) of the Himachal Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act, 1994. The provision allows disqualification of an elected representative, or a legal heir benefiting from encroachment on government land, from holding office.
The recommendation follows an inquiry by a committee headed by the Dharamsala SDM after complaints alleging illegal occupation of government land by the three councillors were filed following the municipal elections.
According to the inquiry report, Bhagsunag (Ward No. 2) councillor Shamsher Singh Nehria encroached upon forest land for a parking space near his hotel.
The second case concerns Khaniara (Ward No. 15) councillor Praveen Kumar. The inquiry reportedly found that a house had been illegally constructed on government land by his grandfather. As a legal heir, Kumar has been treated as a beneficiary of the alleged encroachment. The report also alleges that he failed to disclose material information in his election affidavit.
The third case involves Ward No. 17 (Sidhpur) councillor Vishal Jamwal. The inquiry found that a commercial shop built on government land had an electricity connection in Jamwal’s name since 2003. According to the report, the electricity meter was transferred in the name of another person on April 16, 2026, during the election period allegedly to distance the councillor from the property.
“The inquiry established instances of encroachment that amount to a violation of the provisions of the Municipal Corporation Act. The administration has recommended appropriate action under Section 8(l)," Bairwa said.
Reacting to the development, Dharamsala BJP MLA Sudhir Sharma termed the report politically motivated. He alleged that the state government was using pressure tactics to influence the mayoral election. Sharma said the complaints were filed only after the election results and claimed that reports of village revenue officials had not established any encroachment by the BJP councillors.
He further alleged that three Congress councillors, including a former mayor, were also under scrutiny for encroachment and that violations against them had been confirmed, but no comparable action had been taken.
However, the DC said that they received complaints against only three councillors, and if any complaint is filed against other councillors, an inquiry will be initiated.
