The Supreme Court has directed to hear the petition filed against the alleged allegations of rigging in the Chandigarh Mayor elections again tomorrow i.e. Tuesday at 2 pm. Earlier, the Supreme Court 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.
Earlier, the Supreme Court said that it will ask the Deputy Commissioner to appoint a new returning officer. The Supreme Court 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. Then the Supreme Court asked Returning Officer Anil Masih why were you looking at the camera. To this Anil Masih replied that there was a lot of noise there, that is why I was watching the cameras there. The next question of the Supreme Court was whether you put cross marks on some ballot papers or not. In response to this question, Returning Officer Anil Masih said, yes, cross marks were put on eight papers. Anil Masih told that the 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? To this Anil Masih replied that he did this to give different marks to the papers. The Supreme Court told Anil 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 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 that Anil Masih will be present in the court during the hearing tomorrow i.e. Tuesday at 2 pm.