Supreme Court Intervenes In Chandigarh Mayor Election Controversy, Orders Transfer Of Ballot Records

The Supreme Court issued a directive on Monday, instructing the transfer of all ballot papers and related original records, including videography, pertaining to the Chandigarh mayor elections, to the registrar of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The court expressed its concern over the apparent defacement of ballot papers by the returning officer and emphasized the need to prevent the undermining of democracy. This decision follows a petition filed by Aam Aadmi Party's councillor Kuldeep Dhalor, who contested the mayoral election against Bharatiya Janata Party's Manoj Sonkar and raised concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.

The Supreme Court, addressing the issue as a "mockery of democracy," also took the unprecedented step of postponing the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation meeting scheduled for February 7. The court's intervention comes in the aftermath of the BJP's victory in the mayoral election, where eight opposition votes were invalidated by the presiding officer, leading to allegations of vote tampering.

Manoj Sonkar secured the mayor's post by defeating AAP's Kuldeep Kumar with a vote count of 16 against 12, with eight votes declared invalid. In response to these developments, the AAP staged a protest against the BJP, demanding the arrest of Presiding Officer Anil Masih for alleged tampering with ballot papers. AAP councillors, led by Chandigarh co-incharge Sunny Ahluwalia, conducted a relay hunger strike outside the municipal corporation office, emphasizing their commitment to exposing the alleged "vote thief" BJP and safeguarding democracy.

As tensions rise, the Congress and AAP, anticipating an easy victory in their alliance in the 35-member Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, see this as an early test for the opposition bloc in the lead-up to the Lok Sabha election. The Supreme Court's involvement adds a new dimension to the unfolding political drama surrounding the Chandigarh mayor elections.