In a massive verdict the Supreme Court overturned the result of the Chandigarh mayoral poll in which the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate had emerged an unlikely winner, and declared defeated Aam Aadmi Party-Congress alliance candidate Kuldeep Kumar as the new city mayor. This is a massive blow to BJP .
It also ordered prosecution of the returning officer for the poll, Anil Masih, a BJP leader, for his ‘misdemeanour’, after finding serious faults in the conduct of the January 30 election.
The apex court made it clear that it was not quashing the entire electoral exercise and restricting itself to dealing with the wrong-doings in the counting process which led to invalidation of eight votes cast in Kumar’s favour.
A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said it was evident that Masih made deliberate attempt to deface eight ballot papers.
The BJP had won the mayoral poll defeating the comfortably placed AAP-Congress alliance candidate after the returning officer declared as invalid eight votes of the coalition partners, drawing accusations of tampering with ballots.
Manoj Sonkar of the BJP had defeated Kuldeep Kumar after polling 16 votes against his rival’s 12 to bag the mayor’s post.
Reacting to SC verdict, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann hailed the Supreme Court verdict on the Chandigarh mayoral poll, saying ‘truth finally wins’. Sonkar, however, resigned subsequently, while three AAP councillors defected to the BJP.
ਆਖ਼ਿਰ ਸੱਚਾਈ ਦੀ ਹੋਈ ਜਿੱਤ…
ਸੁਪਰੀਮ ਕੋਰਟ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਚੰਡੀਗੜ੍ਹ ‘ਚ ਮੇਅਰ ਚੋਣਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਲੈ ਕੇ ਸੁਣਾਏ ਫ਼ੈਸਲੇ ਦਾ ਅਸੀਂ ਸਵਾਗਤ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਾਂ… CJI ਨੇ ਪ੍ਰੀਜ਼ਾਇਡਿੰਗ ਅਫ਼ਸਰ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਰੱਦ ਕੀਤੀਆਂ 8 ਵੋਟਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਸਹੀ ਠਹਿਰਾਉਂਦੇ ਹੋਏ ‘ਆਪ’ ਦੇ ਕੁਲਦੀਪ ਕੁਮਾਰ ਨੂੰ ਮੇਅਰ ਐਲਾਨਿਆ…ਬੀਜੇਪੀ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਸ਼ਰੇਆਮ ਕੀਤੀ ਗਈ ਧੱਕੇਸ਼ਾਹੀ ਦਾ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ…
— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) February 20, 2024
The Supreme Court has saved democracy in these “difficult times”, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal said on thanking the court for its decision in the Chandigarh mayoral polls case.
The top court has said it would direct recounting of votes polled in the controversial elections and declaration of result after considering the eight “defaced” ballots that were declared invalid by the returning officer.
“Thank you SC for saving democracy in these difficult times,” Kejriwal said in a post on X.
Thank you SC for saving democracy in these difficult times! #ChandigarhMayorPolls
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 20, 2024
On SC verdict on Chandigarh Mayor Elections, Congress leader Sachin Pilot quoted by ANI said , “I welcome the SC judgement. In fact, we should see that if the authority and credibility of institutions like the Election Commission is undermined, it doesn’t argue well for a democracy. I am surprised that it took the SC to intervene and set the record straight. It should set an example of the future functioning of the EC.”
Punjab Minister and AAP leader Harpal Singh Cheema told ANI , “…BJP is destroying all our democratic institutions one by one. BJP is continuously working to destroy democracy… I want to thank AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal despite so many difficulties, continued this fight to save democracy… It has become clear to the country like a mirror that the country is in danger from BJP… Those who made this conspiracy, action should be taken against them…”
