Chandigarh mayoral polls: Consider voting by show of hands, HC asks UT administrator

The high court bench in its judgment released on Tuesday, on the plea of Chandigarh mayor Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor, observed that even the Supreme Court in its February 2024 judgment had noticed “glaring electoral malpractices” by the then presiding officer Anil Masih with respect to the polled ballot papers used secretly in the 2024 mayoral polls

The Punjab and Haryana high court has requested the UT administrator to consider allowing voting for mayoral polls of the Chandigarh municipal corporation through show of hands, instead of the present practice of secret ballot.

On January 20, the HC had quashed the notification for mayoral polls on the plea from the Chandigarh mayor. However, a detailed judgment was awaited. Seeking polls by show of hands was one of the demands in this plea. (HT File)

The high court bench of justice Sureshwar Thakur and justice Vikas Suri, in its judgment released on Tuesday on the plea of city mayor Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor, observed that even the Supreme Court in its February 2024 judgment had noticed “glaring electoral malpractices” by the then presiding officer Anil Masih with respect to the polled ballot papers used secretly in the 2024 mayoral polls. Hence, the October 2024 resolution of the MC seeking voting by show of hands be considered for ensuring transparent polls. BJP’s Manoj Sonkar had won the Chandigarh mayoral polls last year on January 30, defeating the comfortably placed AAP-Congress alliance candidate, prompting accusations of tampering with the ballots. The vote tampering done by Masih was captured on live camera and the election was eventually nullified by the Supreme Court on February 20, 2024.

On January 20, the HC had quashed the notification for mayoral polls on the plea from the city mayor. However, a detailed judgment was awaited. Seeking polls by show of hands was one of the demands in this plea.

Post the HC order, the administration fixed the polls for January 30. AAP had approached the Supreme Court, demanding that the mayor be allowed to continue till February 20, when he took over last year. A demand was also raised for voting to be done through show of hands. However, the SC refused to interfere with the poll process and did not accept AAP’s other demands. However, it has appointed a retired judge as an observer for the January 30 polls.