After HC rap, mayor administers oath to SP corporator

Lucknow: Mayor Sushma Kharkwal on Sunday administered oath to SP corporator Lalit Tiwari, three days after a Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court froze her financial and administrative powers over delay in complying with its order.With the powers frozen, the mayor could neither sanction expenditure from her fund nor take action against employees.The oath ceremony was held at the Lucknow Municipal Corporation office in Lalbagh in the presence of the municipal commissioner and other officials. Soon after the ceremony, the mayor’s powers were restored.The case relates to 2023 urban local body elections in which Tiwari lost the Faizullaganj ward seat to BJP’s Pradeep Kumar Shukla by 1,672 votes. Tiwari challenged Shukla’s election, alleging concealment of his second marriage in the election affidavit.After the allegation was proved, the high court set aside Shukla’s election and ordered that Tiwari be declared corporator.Explaining the delay, Kharkwal said she was hospitalised and was discharged only on Saturday evening. Calling it a “victory of justice”, Tiwari said he would work to resolve issues of his ward.