SC to Review Chandigarh Mayoral Polls Amidst Allegations of Tampering & Horse-Trading

New Delhi: The Supreme Court is set to examine ballot papers and video recordings from the controversial Chandigarh mayoral election on Tuesday, February 21. This move comes amidst serious allegations of “horse-trading” and potential tampering with ballots.

The court’s scrutiny follows concerns surrounding the conduct of Returning Officer Anil Masih. Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud previously reprimanded Masih, stating, “It’s obvious he defaced ballot papers. This amounts to murder of democracy.” The court even suggested prosecution for his actions.

On Monday, the court directed the Punjab and Haryana High Court to appoint a judicial officer to safely transport the election records to Delhi for examination on Tuesday at 2 PM. The Chandigarh administration has been instructed to ensure the officer’s security and the sanctity of the records.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which suffered a setback in the polls, has challenged a High Court order denying their request for fresh elections. Their candidate, Kuldeep Kumar, has approached the Supreme Court seeking redressal.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged victorious in the January 30th polls, with Manoj Sonkar defeating Kuldeep Kumar. However, Sonkar later resigned from the mayoral post, adding to the ongoing controversy.