Chandigarh Mayor Elections: SC Slams Civic Poll Officer

BY A STAFF REPORTER: The Supreme Court on Sunday slammed the returning officer who conducted the controversial Chandigarh Mayor elections on 30th January. 

The Apex Court heard Kuldeep Kumar's plea seeking fresh mayoral elections in Chandigarh. Moreover, the SC criticized the civic poll officer for mishandling the electoral process. Appalled by the incident, the top court called it a 'murder of democracy'. SC further questioned the officer's behavior asking "Is this the way to conduct the elections?". The SC also stressed that the returning officer must be prosecuted. Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi submitted the video displaying the officer vandalizing the ballot papers.

Through the Registrar General of Punjab and Haryana High Court, the SC ordered the preservation of election records comprising ballot papers, visual evidence, and other materials.

The Chandigarh Mayor Election results were announced on 30th January where BJP's Manoj Sonkar with 15 votes defeated AAP's Kuldeep Kumar, who secured 12 votes. Shortly after BJP's victory in the Chandigarh Mayor elections, a clash broke out as Congress and AAP counselors accused Manoj Sonkar of winning through illegal means on Tuesday 30th January.