Families threaten Chandigarh MC poll boycott over property share sale curbs

The Property Shareholders Welfare Association has threatened to boycott Municipal Corporation (MC) elections in Chandigarh if the UT administration does not clarify its legal position on restrictions on the share-wise sale of jointly owned residential properties. The warning came ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to the city on Sunday, 1 November 2026.

The restrictions, in force since 9 February 2023, have locked up liquidity in privately owned residential properties for nearly three years and nine months, the association said. It added that most affected persons are senior or super senior citizens who cannot access their share of the property's value for medical treatment and daily needs. The association claimed about 10,000 property shares have been sold in Chandigarh over the years, and that the curbs could cost the administration an estimated Rs 200 crore annually in stamp duty revenue, according to India News Calling.

The association alleged that a Supreme Court judgment of 10 January 2023 had been misinterpreted and implemented, arguing that preventing apartmentalisation should not deny co-owners the right to transfer undivided shares. Hindustan Times reported that the association has appealed to the UT administration, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and elected representatives to put in place a fair and legally sustainable mechanism for such transactions.