SC raps Returning Officer; seeks ballot papers, counting day video for review

Chandigarh: The Supreme Court, noting that “horse-trading is taking place,” will review Chandigarh mayoral ballot papers and counting day videos on Tuesday. The top court also pulled up Anil Masih, Returning Officer for the mayoral polls, asking him why he put ‘X’ marks on ballot papers.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra directed the Chandigarh administration on Monday to provide security to the judicial officer, to be appointed by the high court, to ensure the safety of the officer and the records.

The court instructed Punjab and Haryana High Court’s registrar general to assign a judicial officer to safely transport the records to Delhi. “We ourselves will look at the records at 2 pm,” the bench said.

“Horse-trading is taking place,” the CJI said while declining a plea that the case on the mayoral polls be heard on some other day instead of Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Masih appeared before the bench in pursuance of the apex court’s direction and was quizzed by the judges over the alleged tampering of certain ballot papers.

Replying to the judges’ questions, Masih said he did put the “X” mark on eight already “defaced” ballot papers and accused Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillors of creating a ruckus and trying to snatch away the ballot papers. He said that due to this, he was looking at the CCTV camera at the counting centre.

On February 5, the Supreme Court came down heavily on the Returning Officer who held the Chandigarh Mayor elections, saying he was “murdering democracy” and ordered the preservation of the entire record of the election process, including ballot papers, videography, and other material, through the Registrar General of Punjab and Haryana High Court.