'Murder of democracy': SC on Chandigarh mayoral election row
The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the presiding officer of the Chandigarh mayoral elections. The top court said that it would not allow the "murder of democracy" and ordered the registrar general to secure all the records. The court will hear the case on February 12. The Aam Aadmi Party has accused the presiding officer of rigging the election and demanded that he be arrested for "tampering" with ballot papers.
It is obvious he has defaced ballot papers: SC
The apex court came down heavily on the presiding officer saying, "It is obvious that he has defaced the ballot papers." "Is this the way he conducts the elections? This is murder of democrary," Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said after watching the video of the election. While the case has been listed for a further date, the three-judge bench has put a freeze on the budget session of the Chandigarh civic body until further orders.
The purported video of the rigging
AAP alleges rigging, demands arrest of returning officer
According to the AAP's allegations, Returning Officer Anil Masih was caught on camera smudging ballot papers. Eight votes were declared invalid during the polls, which turned the election in favor of the Bharatiya Janata Party despite the numbers favoring the AAP-Congress alliance. AAP MP Raghav Chadha said that all the eight votes declared "invalid" were for his party's candidate. The Congress has alleged that the BJP workers tore up ballot papers and their agent was not allowed to see them.
AAP calls for fresh polls
The AAP had moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court alleging that the mayoral elections were not conducted in a fair manner. The party demanded that the elections be canceled, and the mayor be stopped from assuming office. It also called for a fresh election under the supervision of a retired high court judge. After the high court refused to intervene, the AAP approached the apex court.
