CJI said on Chandigarh Mayor elections - Democracy was murdered, ban on corporation meetings

Supreme Court News: The Supreme Court has expressed deep displeasure over the recently held Chandigarh Mayor elections and termed it as murder of democracy. The court said that it is most important to conduct the mayor elections properly. Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing on behalf of Aam Aadmi Party, said in the court that the appointed returning officer belongs to BJP. He is also active in the party and was given this post. On this, the court asked for the pan drive of video footage from Abhishek Manu Singhvi. After watching the video, the court said that a case should be initiated against the accused person.

CJI Justice DY Chandrachud said during the hearing that this is like killing democracy. This man should be prosecuted. This is a joke with democracy. This is the behavior of the returning officer. Also, the Supreme Court issued a notice on the entire matter. The Supreme Court also said that the High Court has failed to conduct the elections properly.

The CJI said during the hearing that instructions had been given regarding the elections that the entire process should be videographed. Advocate Singhvi, appearing for AAP, said that we were anticipating this disturbance. We received an order in this regard. There was an order for videography on the very first day. The second was to postpone the election and we challenged the postponement, we are requesting that a notice be issued by the court and those ballot papers be kept safe. The video was played and shown in the Supreme Court during the hearing.

Returning officer should hand over all records to HC: SC

Seeing the video, angry Chief Justice Chandrachud said, “It is clear that they messed up the ballot papers. He should be prosecuted, why is he looking at the camera, lawyer sir, this is a mockery of democracy and murder of democracy, we are surprised. Is this the behavior of a returning officer? Wherever the cross is below he does not touch it and when it is above he changes it, please tell the Returning Officer that the Supreme Court is keeping an eye on him.”

The country's highest court also said that there was a need for a proper interim order which the High Court had failed to issue. We direct that the complete records of the Mayor Chandigarh Municipal Corporation elections should be seized from the High Court Registrar General and the ballot papers and videography should also be preserved. A notice is issued to the Returning Officer asking him to hand over all the records.

Now the hearing will take place next week

The CJI further said in his order that SG Tushar Mehta says that the entire record has been handed over to the Deputy Commissioner of Chandigarh. The Deputy Commissioner will hand it over to the Registrar General HC. The upcoming meeting of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation will be postponed till the next date.

Meanwhile, all the documents related to the elections will be handed over to the HC Registrar General by 5 pm today. The matter will be heard on Monday next week. Following the court order, the budget of Chandigarh Corporation will not be presented on Tuesday. The Supreme Court has asked not to present the budget till further orders.

Bharatiya Janata Party had won the Chandigarh Mayor elections and retained all the 3 posts. The defeat in this election was seen as a setback for the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party alliance. The aggrieved party accused the presiding officer of tampering with the ballot papers. Earlier on Wednesday last week, the High Court bench of Justice Sudhir Singh and Justice Harsh Bangar had refused to grant interim relief to AAP. AAP had alleged that the ballot papers were tampered with. Also, AAP had demanded to hold fresh elections under the supervision of a retired judge.