AGENCIES
During the hearing in the Supreme Court over the ballot-tempering issue in last month’s Chandigarh mayoral election, the election’s presiding officer Anil Masih admitted adding a mark on eight cast ballots that he later declared invalid and which paved the way for the victory of the now-resigned BJP mayor, Manoj Sonkar.
The Apex Court said that it would examine the ballot papers used for the Chandigarh Mayor elections on January 30 amid allegations that the returning officer, Anil Masih, tampered with eight votes that were declared invalid, resulting the BJP’s victory. A bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud was hearing a plea against the returning officer over his conduct during the elections.
Hearing the matter today, the top court directed that the ballot papers used in the polls, currently under the custody of the Registrar General, be produced before the court tomorrow. Additionally, the court ordered the appointment of a new returning officer who is not affiliated with any political party.
The bench also ordered the presiding officer to remain present during Tuesday’s hearing.
Later, it said it was deeply concerned about the horse-trading that was taking place.
On Sunday, although the BJP mayor resigned from his post amid rigging allegations, three AAP councillors joined the party in order to turn the tide in its favour in the event of a repoll.
Reacting on the development, AAP supremo and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said in Delhi today said that Sonkar’s resignation proved that the elections were manipulated.
“Now when the BJP can’t win elections, our councillors are being purchased and broken,” Kejriwal said.
AAP Punjab spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang said that earlier, the BJP’s wrongdoings were caught on camera and were noticed by the Supreme Court. Now, the BJP are poaching AAP councillors overnight with an ‘Operation Lotus’, he said.
“I don’t think there has been any bigger mockery of Indian democracy,” he added.
“The world is witnessing the BJP’s greed for power”, said AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj on Sonkar’s resignation and the alleged poaching of the three AAP councillors.