A division bench of Punjab-Haryana High Court comprising Justice Sudhir Singh and Justice Harsh Bunger has issued a notice in response to a petition filed by Aam Aadmi Party Councillor Kuldeep Kumar. The respondents have been directed to submit their replies within a period of three weeks.
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Chandigarh: In the matter of the Chandigarh Mayor polls, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued a notice in response to a plea filed by an AAP councillor. The plea alleges fraudulent activities in the BJP’s victory in the mayoral election, although the court declined to impose a stay on the election results.
A division bench of Justice Sudhir Singh and Justice Harsh Bunger issued notice on Aam Aadmi Party Councillor Kuldeep Kumar’s petition and asked that the respondents to file their replies within three weeks.
The contentious issue at the heart of the plea revolves around the conduct of the election, particularly the actions of the Presiding Officer. The AAP councillor’s petition claims that during the election, there were three baskets placed in front of the Presiding Officer – two designated for the AAP-Congress alliance and the BJP, and one for invalid votes. The plea alleges, supported by video evidence, that the Presiding Officer manipulated the votes by shuffling them between baskets, an act described as a deliberate attempt to sow confusion and compromise the election process through forgery and tampering.
“The Presiding Officer in most flimsy manner addressed to the House that he does not want any assistance from the members nominated by the parties contesting the election and he will count the vote himself. The voices were raised by the Aam Admi Party and Congress but their requests were not heeded, but surprisingly the Deputy Commissioner, Respondent No.2 and the Prescribed Authority, who was also in the same capacity in the last year’s election remained mum,”
-the petition said.
Further allegations in the petition suggest that the Presiding Officer, in violation of standard rules and regulations, announced that eight votes were invalid without specifying the reasons for their invalidity or the party to which these votes were cast. This action, as argued in the petition, represents a “murder of democracy and the democratic system for elections.”
The petition also accuses the officers responsible for overseeing the elections, including the Presiding Officer and the Secretary of the Municipal Corporation, of being biased. It is claimed that the majority of these officers, belonging to the Haryana cadre, where the BJP government is in power, are under the influence of the party.
This case has brought to light serious concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in local governance. The allegations, if proven true, could have significant implications for the conduct of free and fair elections in India.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court’s decision to issue a notice in this matter underscores the gravity of the accusations and the need for a thorough investigation into these claims. As the legal proceedings continue, they are expected to shed more light on the conduct of the Chandigarh Mayor polls and the broader implications for electoral democracy in the region.
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