Chandigarh Mayor Election / 'Election officer caught on camera invalidating opposition's votes' - Supreme Court called for appearance

Chandigarh Mayor Election: Can Digarh Mayor elections be conducted afresh? This speculation has intensified due to the Supreme Court's comments. Angered by the alleged irregularities in this election, a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said that the court will not allow democracy to be murdered in this manner. If the apex court is not satisfied with the purity of the electoral process, it will order fresh elections. The court asked whether the returning officer was an officer or a fugitive.

The apex court also ordered preservation of ballot papers and videos of election proceedings besides directing his personal presence during the next hearing on February 19 in the Chandigarh mayor election case. The Chief Justice raised questions on the behavior of the presiding officer and said that a case should be filed against this person (presiding officer).

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing in the court on behalf of Chandigarh authorities, told the bench that the court has only one side of the picture. Don't form an opinion based on something selectively said.

The court gave this order after considering the petition of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councilor Kuldeep Kumar, who lost the mayor's election, in which it was said that the returning officer was marking eight ballot papers of councilors of Congress-AAP alliance. They were declared invalid.

Let us tell you that the election of the Mayor of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation was held on January 30. In the counting of votes, 8 votes of the opposition were invalidated. That's why BJP had won the election. BJP had won all three posts. In the election for the post of Mayor, BJP's Manoj Sonkar defeated AAP's Kuldeep Kumar. Sonkar got 16 votes, while his rival Kumar got 12 votes. At the same time, eight votes were declared invalid.