- By Mayukh Debnath
- Tue, 20 Feb 2024 04:34 PM (IST)
- Source:ANI
Chandigarh Mayor Poll Case: The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that the Aam Aadmi Party's candidate, Kuldeep Kumar, for the recently held election for the post of Chandigarh's Mayor is the legitimate winner of the mayoral polls. The ruling came as part of the SC's hearing on the plea moved by Kumar that alleged rigging in the recently held polls by the BJP.
Chandigarh Mayor Election matter | Supreme Court orders that AAP candidate is declared to be the validly elected candidate for the post of Mayor of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation. pic.twitter.com/QMWkJUMij4
— ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2024
The verdict came shortly after the Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud-led bench of the apex court found that the eight votes that were invalidated by the Returning Officer, BJP's Anil Masih, on the account of ballot papers being "defaced" were cast in the favour of Kumar. Upon observing that the eight ballot papers were not 'defaced', it ordered a recounting of the votes that were previously declared invalid.
The CJI Chandrachud-led bench also noted that a fit case is made out for the initiation of proceedings under Section 340 CrPC against Masih, and directed the Registrar Judicial to issue a notice to him to show cause as to why steps should not be initiated against him. Earlier, on Monday, the SC had ordered that the ballot papers and video that have been taken into custody by the Registrar General of Punjab and Haryana High Court in accordance with its order, be produced before the apex court on February 20 (today).
The SC bench, also including Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, had directed that the necessary security arrangements be made to ensure the safe transit and proper preservation and custody of ballet papers along with judicial officers. The bench expressed concern over the "horse trading" and slammed Anil Masih saying he must be prosecuted for "defacing ballot papers".
"We are deeply concerned about the horse-trading which is taking place...," the bench had said at the end of the hearing yesterday. BJP Councillor Manoj Sonkar, who was declared the winner of the mayoral polls by Masih on January 30, resigned as the Mayor of Chandigarh on Sunday (February 18), a day ahead of the resumption of hearing on Kumar's plea in the SC.
(With inputs from ANI)
