India, Jan. 30 -- Hours before the Chandigarh mayoral elections, the Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday morning granted interim protection from arrest to outgoing mayor Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor in a corruption case.

As the poll proceedings began in the morning, a mentioning was done for urgent listing of the matter and it was taken up by the bench of justice Mahabir Singh Sidhu.

Taking into account the arguments made, the bench granted interim protection from the arrest, a rare decision as the accused first has to approach a lower court.

The detailed order is awaited.

In his argument, Dhalor stated that he feared arrest as the administration in collusion with the BJP was trying to prevent him from participating in the elections.

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