Chandigarh Mayor Polls: SC declares AAP-Cong Joint Candidate Winner
The Supreme Court of India Tuesday Feb 20, 2024 set aside the Chandigarh Mayor Election Result announced on Jan 30 and declared AAP-Cong Joint Candidate the winner. Read More
New Delhi: In a major setback for the Modi Government in New Delhi, the Supreme Court of India Tuesday Feb 20, 2024 set aside the Chandigarh Mayor Election Result announced on Jan 30 and declared AAP-Cong Joint Candidate the winner.
Chandigarh being a Union Territory (UT) comes under the direct control of the Central government currently led by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).
Terming 08 votes declared invalid by Presiding Officer Anil Masih valid, a three-judge SC bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud pronounced AAP Councilor Kuldeep Kumar Mayor of Chandigarh.
Kuldeep Singh had challenged the Chandigarh Mayor Election results in the Apex Court. Anil Masih during the hearing on Kuldeep Singh's petition Monday confessed tempering the ballot papers.
"In this court yesterday, the officer made a statement that he had done so because he found the ballots were defaced. As a matter of fact, it is recorded that none of the ballots were defaced," the bench noted.
"The conduct of a Presiding Officer has to depcrated at two levels. Firstly by his conduct, he has unlawfully altered the course of the mayor election. Secondly, in making a statement before this court, the officer expressed a patent falsehood for which he must be held accountable," the bench said.
The bench also said it was the duty of the court to preserve the democratic principles. A notice has also been issued against Returning Officer Anil Masih to face contempt of court.
In the Chandigarh Mayor Polls held on January 30, 2024, a total of 36 votes were casted. Of them, 16 votes were in favour of the BJP whereas 20 votes were in support of the AAP-Congress joint candidate.
Masih however declared 08 votes of AAP and Congress members invalid and declared the BJP candidate, Manoj Sonkar, winner and the new Mayor of Chandigarh.
AAP-Congress Mayoral candidate Kuldeep Singh approached the Supreme Court after the High Court dismissed his plea.
In the earlier hearing on Kuldeep Singh’s plea on Feb 5, the Supreme Court of India had called the entire episode a “murder of democracy” and asked Presiding Officer Anil Masih to depose before it with all the records and documents related to the mayoral elections.
Meanwhile, demands are also growing from the Supreme Court of the India to expose the forces on whose behest Anil Masih manipulated the Chandigarh Mayor election.
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