Chandigarh mayoral polls: Supreme Court says it will order recounting of ballots including those "defaced"

Supreme Court to direct recounting of votes in Chandigarh mayoral election amid allegations of electoral malpractices.

The Supreme Court said on February 20 it would direct recounting of votes polled in the controversial Chandigarh mayoral election and declaration of result after considering the eight “defaced” ballots which were declared invalid by the returning officer.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra has commenced hearing the plea of defeated AAP candidate for the election Kuldeep Kumar, accusing returning officer Anil Masih of electoral malpractices.

The top court is scrutinising the ballot papers and watching the video recordings which were brought before it by a judicial officer appointed by the Punjab & Haryana High Court’s Registrar General.

“We would like to see ballots which were invalidated,” the CJI said at the outset.

The hearing is still underway.

The top court had on Monday voiced its deep concern over the "horse-trading" and said it will examine the ballot papers and video recording of the counting. It said instead of ordering fresh polls, it may consider declaration of results on the basis of votes already cast.

The BJP won the Chandigarh mayoral polls on January 30 defeating the comfortably placed AAP-Congress alliance candidate after the returning officer declared as invalid eight votes of the coalition partners, drawing accusations of tampering with ballots.