SC Unveils Truth: AAP's Kuldeep Kumar Validly Elected Mayor, Show Cause Notice Issued to Poll Officer
In a stunning twist of events, the Supreme Court has declared Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Kuldeep Kumar as the 'validly elected' Mayor of Chandigarh, overturning the earlier results of the mayoral polls. The court's verdict came on Tuesday after it directed 8 'invalid' votes to be treated as valid and issued a show cause notice to the returning officer, Anil Masih.
The contentious issue arose when the Supreme Court found that the votes, which were initially declared invalid by Masih, were in favour of the AAP. Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud, during the hearing, remarked that the votes cast during the polls should be recounted, treating the defaced ballots as valid.
CJI Chandrachud strongly criticized the presiding officer's deliberate attempt to deface the votes. The court stated, "It is evident that the presiding officer made a deliberate attempt to deface 8 ballot papers."
Reacting to the court's order, AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday expressed gratitude, saying, "Thank you SC for saving democracy in these difficult times!" The ruling against the poll officer followed strong observations on a viral video presented during the hearing, with CJI Chandrachud previously denouncing Masih's actions as a "mockery of democracy."
The video, which showcased Masih marking ballot papers, was revisited in the Supreme Court, leading the bench to conclude that the ballots were not defaced, contrary to Masih's claims. The returning officer had invalidated eight votes in support of the AAP mayoral candidate, resulting in the victory of the BJP nominee, Manoj Sonkar, despite the party having fewer votes than the AAP-Congress alliance.
The Supreme Court, earlier expressing deep concern over potential "horse-trading," had decided to examine the ballot papers and video recordings of the counting. Instead of ordering fresh polls, the court opted to consider the declaration of results based on the votes already cast.
The BJP initially won the Chandigarh mayoral polls on January 30, with Manoj Sonkar defeating AAP-Congress alliance candidate Kuldeep Kumar. However, Sonkar subsequently resigned, and three AAP councillors defected to the BJP. The recent Supreme Court ruling has now reshaped the political landscape in Chandigarh, reinstating Kuldeep Kumar as the validly elected Mayor.
