Chandigarh Mayor Poll: AAP Moves High Court, Seeks Fresh Polls Under Rtd Judge's Supervision

Chandigarh Mayor Election: The AAP contends that the election was marred by malpractices, particularly pointing fingers at the alleged tampering of ballot papers by the presiding officer.

AAP mayor candidate Kuldeep Kumar breaks down after his defeat in the Chandigarh mayoral polls, in Chandigarh, Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024.

Source : PTI

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court, challenging the results of the mayoral polls in Chandigarh and demanding fresh elections under the supervision of a retired High Court judge. The petition has been filed by AAP councillor Kuldeep Kumar, who was the party's candidate for the mayor's position, news agency PTI reported party sources as confirming. 

The petitioner alleges rampant fraud and forgery in the electoral process and seeks the annulment of the election results. The AAP contends that the election was marred by malpractices, particularly pointing fingers at the alleged tampering of ballot papers by the presiding officer, PTI reported.

As the results for the mayoral post were declared, chaos ensued in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation House, with councillors from the two independent bloc parties causing a ruckus. Subsequently, they boycotted the subsequent elections for the positions of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor.

The mayoral election results saw BJP's Manoj Sonkar defeating AAP's Kuldeep Kumar by polling 16 votes against the latter's 12. Eight votes were deemed invalid. Simultaneously, BJP nominees Kuljit Sandhu and Rajinder Sharma secured victory for the posts of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor, respectively, with each garnering 16 votes.

Chandigarh Mayor Election: AAP Demands Fresh Polls Under Retired Judge's Supervision, Probe Into Alleged Fraud

The opposition councillors, including those from the AAP, alleged tampering with the ballot papers during the elections—a charge vehemently refuted by the BJP.

In addition to challenging the mayoral election results, the AAP's plea seeks court directives for the conduct of fresh elections in a transparent manner, under the supervision of a retired High Court judge, to prevent any malpractice. The party also demands an independent agency investigation into the alleged fraud committed during the entire election process, according to PTI's report.

The petitioner further calls for the sealing and preservation of the entire election process, encompassing the record of ballot papers, proceedings of the election, and the videography conducted on election day.

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