Returning officer says he put cross marks
The Supreme Court on Monday said will hear the petition filed against the alleged of rigging in the Chandigarh Mayor elections again on Tuesday. The apex court has directed the Punjab and Haryana High Court to present all the demanded ballot papers in the court with adequate security. The Supreme Court has also summoned the complete video of the vote counting.
The Supreme Court also said that it will ask the Deputy Commissioner to appoint a new returning officer. It has directed the Registrar General of Punjab-Haryana High Court to monitor this.
As soon as the Supreme Court started hearing the case, the question arose as to who is the returning officer and how is he appointed. The apex court asked the returning officer Anil Masih why were you looking at the camera during the polling. Masih replied that there was a lot of noise there that is why he was watching the cameras.
The next question by the bench was whether Masih put cross marks on some ballot papers or not. Masih said cross marks were put on eight papers. He said an Aam Aadmi Party leader came, took two ballot papers, tore them and ran away.
The Supreme Court again asked why you were putting the cross. Under which rule did you get this done? Masih replied that he did this to give different marks to the papers. The Supreme Court told Masih that you are admitting that you have marked it. Meanwhile, the court addressed the Solicitor General and said that it is accepting that he has put the mark. In such a situation, action should be taken against them.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court said that we will ask the Deputy Commissioner to appoint a new returning officer. We will ask the Registrar General of the High Court to monitor this. “We will ask the Registrar General High Court to come to us with all the records. We will hear the case tomorrow. Apart from this, the ballot paper register which is with the Journal will be brought to us by a judicial officer at 10.30 am.”
Seeing the strict stance of the court, the Solicitor General said that the hearing should not be held in the morning. On this the Supreme Court said that we will hear the case at 2 pm. But, the complete video of voting will also have to be presented in the court. The Supreme Court said that the returning officer has admitted that he marked and defaced the ballot paper. Finally, the Supreme Court said Masih should be present in the court during the hearing tomorrow.
