Surinder Chauhan to be the new Mayor of Shimla, Uma Kaushal Dy Mayor

Surinder Chauhan Congress councilor from Chhota Shimla ward is the new Mayor of Shimla Municipal Corporation who was elected new mayor unanimously in the first general house of newly elected councilors.

Three-time councilor of Tutikandi  Uma Kaushal was also elected deputy mayor unanimously. Congress has sweeped the Shimla MC poll on May 4 after winning 24 wards. Chauhan was three times councilor from Chhota Shimla’s home ward of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. Mr. Sukhu also begins his public life after winning councilors from the same wards. Uma Kaushal was three times councilor from Tutikandi and her husband Anand Kaushal also remained undefeatable councilor from this ward four times. Uma Kaushal was three times councilor from Tutikandi and her husband Anand Kaushal also remained undefeatable councilor from this ward four times.  Ms. Kaushal and her family have shared an undisputed record of holding on to the Tutikandi Ward in the Shimla MC elections since 1986. Congress got the maximum leads in the current Vidhan Sabha elections from the same Tutikandi ward. 

Uma Kaushal would be the first woman Deputy Mayor of Shimla MC as five women have been elected for the Mayor ( reserved ) seats including Satya Kandol, Kusum Sadrate, Madhu Sood, and Jani Prem.
Congress has to elect Uma Kaushal as Dy Mayor in 34 member houses including 14 Congress total of 21 women councilors have been elected in the Election. Only 17 seats are reserved for women (14 women and three SC women). Shimla MC was without elected local self-government for the last year as Shimla deputy commissioner Aditya Negi had been appointed administrator by the previous BJP government as house tenure ended on June 23, 2022. 
A meeting of newly elected councilors was held at Congress Rajiv Bhawan here to make a consensus on the top two posts. Earlier to this Satya Kaundal was the Mayor of Shimla MC but she had lost this election.
The election was unanimous, as there are reports that no voting took place since the opposition BJP did field any candidate for the said posts.
The decision to appoint Surinder Chauhan as the Mayor was met with widespread support from both within the SMC and the local community.
Mr. Chauhan, known for his unwavering commitment to public service and dedication to the betterment of Shimla, brings a wealth of experience to the position. 

 Chauhan secured 1397 votes defeating Sanjeev Chauhan of BJP who got 840 votes. Mr.  Chauhan being elected for the third time is also considered a close aide to Chief Minister. 

 Uma Kaushal defeated her BJP rival by 521 votes. As a councilor representing Tutikandi Ward, Kaushal has consistently advocated for inclusive policies and worked towards enhancing civic amenities in her area. With her strong leadership skills and community-focused approach, she is expected to play a pivotal role in supporting Mayor.

Pertinent to mention that the newly elected Mayor and Deputy Mayor would face a host of pressing issues, including traffic congestion, solid waste management, preservation of Shimla’s cultural heritage, and boosting tourism while ensuring sustainable development.