New Delhi: Hearing in matter of Chandigarh Mayoral polls was held today in the Supreme Court where bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud slammed returning officer for defacing the ballot papers.
Supreme Court ordered preservation of entire record of the election process including ballot papers, videography and other material through Registrar General of Punjab and Haryana High Court. Hearing in the matter has been listed for February 12.
Supreme Court in its order also directed that ensuing meeting of Chandigarh municipal corporation shall be deferred till the next date. SC also said that papers should be handed over to the High Court registrar general by today 5pm.
Dubbing it as Murder of Democracy, CJI DY Chandrachud said, “Is this how he conducts elections? This is a mockery of democracy. This is murder of democracy. We are shocked. This man should be prosecuted. Is this the behavior of a returning officer?” CJI also said that the court is appalled and the returning officer should be prosecuted.
AAP-Congress approaches SC
Kuldeep Kumar, joint candidate of INDIA bloc, i.e. AAP-Congress, has filed a petition in which he has demanded re-election by removing BJP’s newly elected Mayor Manoj Kumar Sonkar.
It has been argued in the petition that the counting of votes has been manipulated by the Presiding election officer Anil Masih. Congress leader and senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi will present arguments on his behalf.