Shimla, Jan. 7 -- The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Tuesday sought a status report from the State government on the ordinance extending the tenure of the Shimla Mayor and Deputy Mayor from two-and-a-half years to five years, while imposing a "conditional cost" of Rs 50,000 on the State for delay in re-filing its reply.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice G.S. Sandhawalia and Justice Jiya Lal Bhardwaj were hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the ordinance. The petitioner contended that the extension violates the existing reservation roster and deprives a woman councillor of assuming the mayor's office.

Taking a serious note of the delay, the Bench observed: "Reply filed by the State is still lying under objections and h...