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‘You put ‘X’ marks on ballot. Why?’: CJI Chandrachud to Chandigarh mayor polls official
The returning officer has been accused of defacing eight ballot papers that were declared invalid, resulting in the victory of BJP's Manoj Sonkar
The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up Chandigarh mayor poll's returning officer on the way he conducted the elections.
Lashing out at returning officer Anil Masih, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud asked him why the officer was looking into the camera and putting ‘X’ marks on the ballot papers.
The returning officer has been accused of defacing eight ballot papers that were declared invalid, resulting in the victory of BJP's Manoj Sonkar.
"All the ballot papers were defaced. I was just marking them. There were so many cameras that I was just looking at them,” the returning officer was quoted by PTI as saying, adding that he put ‘X’ marks to ensure that the ballot papers did not get mixed.
"You can sign the ballot papers. But why you were putting ‘X’ on those ballot papers," the bench said, adding under the rules the returning officer can only sign on ballots. It means you marked it," CJI Chandrachud said.
The CJI said that the returning officer has to be prosecuted, adding "this cannot be allowed in an electoral democracy".
‘Deeply concerned about horse-trading’, says Supreme Court
The Supreme Court said that it will examine the ballot papers on Tuesday and the video recording of the counting. The returning officer has been asked to be present in the court.
The Chandigarh mayor polls ran into controversy after Masih declared as invalid eight votes of the AAP-Congress alliance, resulting in the BJP candidate's victory. The opposition accused the officer of tampering with the ballots. Sonkar has resigned while three AAP councillors defected to the BJP.
"We are deeply concerned about the horse-trading which is taking place," a top court bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said.
"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.
(With PTI inputs)
