The Supreme Court has mandated a recount of votes in the Chandigarh mayoral election. The court asserted that eight ballots, initially invalidated by the Returning Officer, were indeed valid. These votes were in favor of Kuldeep Kumar, the mayoral candidate from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
A panel of three judges, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, expressed their inclination towards the recount, emphasizing the importance of including these eight validated votes in the final tally.
Chief Justice Chandrachud highlighted during the proceedings that all eight disputed ballots had clear stamps indicating support for Kuldeep Kumar, the AAP’s representative.
The court’s decision follows its earlier directive to produce the ballot papers and video footage of the vote counting process in the Chandigarh mayoral polls. This move came after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured victory in the January 30 polls, retaining all three positions and defeating the Congress-AAP coalition.
The AAP, dissatisfied with the outcome, approached the Supreme Court, alleging “fraud and forgery” by Returning Officer Anil Masih in conducting the elections. Concerns were also raised regarding a viral video showing Masih marking ballot papers while apparently glancing at the CCTV footage, raising doubts about the integrity of the electoral process.
During Monday’s hearing, the Supreme Court denounced any hint of “horse-trading business” in the mayoral polls and underscored the need for accountability. The court asserted that if the accusations against Masih are proven true, he should face prosecution for his actions.
