Chandigarh, Dec. 2 -- For the first time in Chandigarh's history, the next mayor will be elected through a show of hands instead of the traditional secret ballot.

The election - the last of the 2022 municipal corporation (MC) five-year tenure - will be held in January 2026.

Triggered by the shocking vote-rigging scandal of the 2024 polls, the switch to open voting has set the stage for high political drama, with major parties recalibrating strategies and alliances that may strain over candidate selection.

In June this year, Punjab governor and UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria approved an amendment to Regulation 6 of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (Procedure and Conduct of Business) Regulations, 1996, paving the way for the ne...