Chandigarh's mayoral election on January 29 will see a historic shift to a 'show of hands' vote, moving away from secret ballots. This change, welcomed by major parties including BJP and AAP-Congress alliance, aims to ensure transparency and prevent cross-voting. Both the BJP and the AAP-Congress alliance currently stand at 18 votes each, setting the stage for a close contest. This marks the first time since 1996 that the election will not use a secret ballot.