Chandigarh Mayoral Polls: SC to examine ballot papers, videos of counting process today

livemint.com:

Chandigarh mayoral polls and video recording of the counting process on Tuesday after raising deep concerns over horse trading and dismissing fresh polls. The top court said it may consider the declaration of results based on votes already cast.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the Chandigarh mayoral polls on January 30 defeating the AAP-Congress alliance candidate after the returning officer declared invalid eight votes of the coalition partners, drawing accusations of tampering with ballots. BJP candidate Manoj Sonkar defeated Kuldeep Kumar after polling 16 votes against his rival's 12 to bag the mayor's post.

However, Sonkar resigned subsequently while three AAP councilors defected to the BJP, PTI reported. A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said, “We are deeply concerned about the horse-trading which is taking place." They directed the registrar general of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to depute a judicial officer to bring the records safely to New Delhi and present them before it on Tuesday.

"We will list this tomorrow and see the ballot papers and decide what to do. This whole business of horse trading which is going on is very disturbing.

Let the entire video of counting of the votes be also produced tomorrow noon," the CJI said. In its order passed after a brief hearing, the bench said, “We direct that the ballot papers, which have been placed in the custody of the Registrar General of the high court will be produced tomorrow morning before this court at 10:30 am by a judicial officer to be nominated by the Registrar General…." The top court also directed the administration to make arrangements necessary to ensure the safe transit of the judicial