New Delhi: The Supreme Court’s condemnation of the vote cancellation during the Chandigarh mayoral elections as an affront to democracy, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) released a new video purportedly showing the presiding officer tampering with the ballot papers. The AAP accused the BJP of dictatorship, citing the video as evidence.
“Accept it, BJP. This video is undeniable proof of your actions. Witness how the BJP’s Presiding Officer flagrantly undermines democracy by invalidating votes. It’s a clear display of BJP’s authoritarianism,” the AAP asserted.
Despite the Congress-AAP alliance holding a numerical advantage in the Chandigarh municipal council, the BJP candidate emerged victorious in the mayoral elections after the presiding officer, Anil Masih, declared 8 votes invalid.
ਹੁਣ ਤਾਂ ਮੰਨ ਜਾਓ @BJP4India ਵਾਲਿਓ!
ਇਸਤੋਂ ਵੱਡਾ ਸਬੂਤ ਹੋਰ ਕੀ ਹੋ ਸਕਦੈ। ਦੇਖੋ ਕਿਵੇਂ BJP ਦੇ Presiding Officer ਨੇ ਸ਼ਰੇਆਮ ਖ਼ੁਦ ਹੀ ਵੋਟਾਂ ਕੈਂਸਲ ਕਰਕੇ ਉਡਾਈਆਂ ਲੋਕਤੰਤਰ ਦੀਆਂ ਧੱਜੀਆਂ।
ਇਹ ਭਾਜਪਾ ਦੀ ਤਾਨਾਸ਼ਾਹੀ ਦਾ ਜਿਉਂਦਾ ਜਾਗਦਾ ਸਬੂਤ ਹੈ।#ChandigarhMayor pic.twitter.com/BIxIhrwRv6
— AAP Punjab (@AAPPunjab) February 5, 2024
Prompted by the AAP’s appeal, the Supreme Court criticized the defacement of ballot papers by the returning officer, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud condemning it as a mockery of democracy.
“Is this how elections are conducted? This is an insult to democracy. This is democracy being trampled upon. The returning officer must be held accountable. Is this the conduct expected from a returning officer?” Chief Justice Chandrachud remarked.
The Supreme Court ordered the preservation of all election-related records, including ballot papers and videos, through the Registrar General of Punjab and Haryana High Court. In response to a plea by AAP candidate Kuldeep Dhalor, who lost to BJP’s Manoj Sonkar, the court demanded prosecution of the presiding officer, expressing dismay over his actions.
“The cornerstone of democracy lies in the integrity of our electoral process. Yet, what transpired here is unacceptable. We will not tolerate the murder of democracy,” declared CJI Chandrachud, as the bench summoned the returning officer, Anil Masih, to appear in court on February 19.
Despite the Congress-AAP alliance boasting 20 votes, Masih’s decision to invalidate eight votes reduced Dhalor’s effective tally to 12 against Sonkar’s 16.
On February 2, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann staged a protest against the BJP regarding the election.
“The Chandigarh election exposes their wrongdoing. When sin reaches its peak, nature and God intervene to rectify. The Chandigarh election may be small, but it unveiled the BJP’s vote manipulation,” Kejriwal remarked.
Read More:
