Supreme Court calls Chandigarh Mayor elections murder and mockery of democracy

The Supreme Court of India has delivered a scathing critique of the conduct observed during the Chandigarh Mayor elections, with Chief Justice DY Chandrachud condemning the actions of the presiding officer, Anil Masih. 

The court's rebuke came in response to a petition filed by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Councillor Kuldeep Kumar, challenging the election results that declared a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate as the victor.

Justice Chandrachud expressed his dismay at the apparent defacement of ballot papers by Masih, describing the situation as a "mockery of democracy" and a "murder of democracy." 

"It is obvious that he defaced the ballot papers. Is this the way he conducts the elections? This is a mockery of democracy. This is a murder of democracy. This man should be prosecuted," CJI Chandrachud says.

Also Read: Delhi: Ruckus erupts during special meet of MCD

The court ordered that the records of the election be secured under the custody of the Punjab & Haryana High Court Registrar General and postponed the February 7 meeting of the Municipal Corporation until further notice.

The controversy erupted after the AAP and Congress, who had formed the INDIA bloc for the mayoral elections, accused Masih of manipulating the vote count and tampering with ballots. Video evidence purportedly showed Masih transferring votes between baskets and interfering with the ballot papers. 

The BJP candidate, Manoj Sonkar, emerged victorious with 16 votes against Kuldeep Kumar's 12, amidst allegations that eight votes were unjustly invalidated by Masih.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann criticized the election process, marking it as a dark day for Indian democracy. He accused the BJP of habitually undermining democratic processes, as seen in other states like Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, and the northeastern states.

The AAP sought a re-election supervised by a retired High Court judge, but the High Court only issued a notice and scheduled a further hearing for February 26. The incident has raised serious concerns about the integrity of Indian democracy, especially with national elections on the horizon.