Strong opposition is mounting in Punjab's Mohali district against a state government move to absorb several village councils into the urban civic body. Sarpanchs (village heads) from a majority of the affected panchayats have formally submitted a memorandum, vehemently rejecting the proposed merger into the Mohali Municipal Corporation (MC).
Unanimous Opposition from Village Heads
On Tuesday, December 2, 2025, representatives from nearly a dozen villages gathered at Mauli village under the leadership of its sarpanch, Gursewak Singh. The collective, after a meeting, submitted a memorandum addressed to local MLA Kulwant Singh. The document was received at the MLA's office by his son, councillor Sarabjit Singh Samana.
The memorandum carries a clear and firm message: the villages do not wish to lose their independent panchayat status. The sarpanchs asserted that 14 out of the 15 panchayats slated for merger are opposed to the move. They claimed that only the sarpanch of Balongi Colony is in favour of joining the corporation.
Key Concerns and Alleged Lapses
The village leaders raised multiple concerns regarding the merger process and its potential impact. They alleged that the Department of Local Government failed to follow due procedure by not seeking objections from the villages before issuing the official notification.
"When no panchayat passed a resolution seeking inclusion in the MC, why were we forcibly added?" the sarpanchs questioned in their memorandum. They argued that their panchayats have been managing local development works efficiently on their own.
The primary fears driving the opposition include the potential loss of village identity and economic hardship. The sarpanchs expressed apprehension that residents dependent on livestock rearing could lose their livelihoods. Furthermore, villagers would become liable to pay property tax and building plan fees to the corporation, which are not currently levied by the panchayats.
A significant point of contention is the control over common village land, known as shamlat land. The leaders fear this land would automatically come under the corporation's control, stripping the community of its authority.
Threat of Agitation and Legal Challenge
The memorandum serves as a stern warning to the authorities. The sarpanchs have demanded the immediate removal of their villages from the proposed corporation limits and the withdrawal of the notification.
They warned that if their demands are not met, residents from all affected villages will have no choice but to take to the streets in protest. Additionally, they stated their readiness to challenge the government's notification in court as a final recourse.
The list of sarpanchs present during the submission included Gursewak Singh (Mauli), Tarnjit Kaur (Chilla), Harmandeep Kaur (Chhappar Chhidi Kalan), Harjit Kaur (Chhappar Chhidi Khurd), Gurjinder Singh (Ballomajra), Satnam Singh (Balongi), Jaspreet Singh (Landran), Kuldeep Kaur (Lakhnour), Kanika Sharma (Sambhalki), and Parvinder Singh (Nanomajra). The sarpanchs of Rudka and Kambali villages had already declared their opposition a day earlier, on Monday.
The growing dissent highlights a classic urban-rural governance conflict, with village communities fiercely guarding their autonomy against perceived forced urbanisation. The state government's next step will be crucial in determining whether this issue escalates into a major confrontation.
