AAP releases Chandigarh mayoral poll video

Tribune News Service

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, February 6

City AAP leaders today held the screening of the video of mayoral polls, in which presiding officer Anil Masih is allegedly seen tampering with ballot papers while signing these, before the media.

Councillors of AAP Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor (Tita) and Prem Lata had procured the video of the entire election proceedings from the MC’s joint commissioner through an official letter the very next day of the polling. However, the main parts of the proceedings in the form of three videos were shown and released to the media during a press conference outside the MC building this afternoon.

Masih’s effigies burnt

Led by Manoj Lubana, activists of the Chandigarh Youth Congress burnt the effigies of returning officer Anil Masih near the Sector 35 light point. Before setting the effigies on fire, they blackened the face and put a garland of shoes on these. The protest started from Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan. Meanwhile, the city AAP took out a candlelight march from the Aroma light point in Sector 22.

AAP leader’s claim

“In the first video, it is clearly seen our candidate had won as Masih first saw all polled ballot papers and placed these. In the second video, he is seen tampering with the votes polled in favour of our candidate. In the third video, two-three BJP councillors are clearly seen asking the cameraperson to shift the focus of the camera from Masih,” claimed Dr SS Ahluwalia, city AAP co-in charge.

The councillors said the same videos were also shown to Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, following which he issued directions on Monday. Seven cameras had been put up in the assembly hall for covering the election proceedings.

“We suspected they could destroy the footage of the videos recorded on seven cameras from different angles. So, we procured the entire video of about two hours through an official letter and released its main parts today. The camera, which showed the proceedings live that day, was not clearly showing which votes the presiding officer was tampering with. But there was one camera focussed over his head. Its footage clearly shows he defaced the votes polled in my favour,” said Tita, who was the INDIA bloc (AAP and Congress) mayoral candidate for the January 30 polls.

Addressing the press conference, the city AAP co-in charge, Dr SS Ahluwalia, claimed, “Our councillor Suman noticed a ballot paper with some marks before voting. She pointed this out, following which 11 ballot papers were rejected even before voting by councillors. When this plan A did not work, BJP’s leader and nominated councillor Anil Masih implemented plan B where he himself marked eight ballot papers while signing these at the time of counting. The presiding authority, as per rules, has to sign the ballot papers twice, before and after polling.”

On the authenticity of the videos, advocate Ferry Sofat, who is representing AAP in the court, said these had been procured officially from the MC. He was also present at the press conference.

AAP councillor Yogesh Dhingra alleged, “Through cameras, the BJP has been exposed before the public. The public has seen their acts of hooliganism and cheating in the MC House.”

Earlier today, AAP activists put up a screen on the roadside outside the MC office where they played the videos for the media. Its councillor and volunteers were observing chain hunger strike alongside.

In the result declared by Masih, BJP candidate Manoj Sonkar had defeated Tita to win the post of Mayor as the Opposition accused the presiding officer of tampering with the votes polled. Sonkar had polled 16 votes and Tita 12. Eight votes were declared invalid.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued today, former Congress MP Pawan Kumar Bansal has stated that as the “fraud in the mayoral election and evidence of the BJP’s conspiracy” have come to light, the Mayor should not be allowed to stay in office for even one more day.

When contacted, Jatinder Pal Malhotra, city BJP president, said, “The matter is sub judice. Let the Supreme Court decide.”

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