Many firsts to Chandigarh mayoral polls marred by ‘rigging’

Tribune News Service

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, January 30

There were many firsts to the mayoral polls today that turned out to be a major setback to the AAP-Congress alliance under the INDIA bloc that was hoping to set the tone for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections with its seemingly imminent victory.

The alliance lost the Mayor’s seat as eight votes were declared invalid and the lone SAD councillor voted for the BJP. For the first time, the election, which usually starts at 11 am, began at 10 am. Councillors of AAP and the Congress were the firsts to reach the assembly hall of the MC. The proceedings finally started at 10:40 am when UT Deputy Commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh arrived in the hall.

Mediapersons were not allowed to sit in the assembly hall to cover the polls. They were made to sit in the conference hall to cover the event live on screens.

The audio in the conference hall remained muted till 10:40 am when the national anthem was played to formally start the proceedings. Unlike the assembly hall, the mediapersons could hear only those speaking on the mike in the hall.

Unlike the previous practice, the party agents were not allowed to be present near the counting table for inspection. BJP councillor Saurabh Joshi read the rules stating that there was no provision for the presiding officer to call councillors near the table. AAP councillor Yogesh Dhingra objected to it, saying that this was the practice during the previous two mayoral elections.

However, presiding officer Anil Masih said he would act according to the rules and the agents might come here after he had finished the procedure. He checked all 36 ballot papers and started the due procedure of signing these. While he was signing the ballot papers, Opposition councillors started shouting, alleging that he was also putting a mark on the papers. After signing the ballot papers, Masih counted the votes and declared BJP’s Manoj Sonkar winner of the election to the Mayor’s post with 16 votes. His rival, AAP councillor and INDIA bloc candidate Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor (Tita), polled 12 votes. Masih declared the remaining eight votes invalid.

Today’s win has proved that this alliance is incompatible. To hide their defeat, they are resorting to lies. Even Congress councillors were not in favour of AAP’s Mayor. That is why they cast invalid votes. Jatinder Pal Malhotra, BJP president

The BJP stooped so low to win the election. It is evident that Masih deliberately put marks on the votes to render these invalid. The people of Chandigarh will never forgive the BJP for such blatant misuse of machinery. HS Lucky, Congress chief

This time, the presiding officer, who is affiliated with the BJP, checked all ballot papers and declared eight invalid, without showing these to anyone and providing any reason for declaring votes invalid. Prem Kumar Garg, ex-AAP chief

Opposition councillors created a ruckus, accusing Masih of tampering with the votes to render them invalid. They snatched the ballot papers and tried to take them away, but the marshals stopped them from doing so.

While all this was happening, BJP councillors and one nominated councillor made Sonkar sit in the Mayor’s seat. Heated arguments ensued and a few councillors almost came to blows, but marshals stepped in to control the situation. Councillors hurled abuses against each other during the melee.

Later, the Opposition councillors boycotted the election to the posts of Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor. The BJP won both seats 16/0.

Ruling party’s councillors Kuljit Singh and Rajinder Sharma were declared winner against Congress’ councillors and alliance nominees Gurpreet Singh Gabi and Nirmala Devi for the posts of Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor, respectively.

Video of Masih signing papers goes viral

The video of Masih signing the ballot papers went viral and was trending among top trends even on “X”, a microblogging site. Many people shared the video and alleged Masih had tampered with the votes by putting a mark on papers. However, Masih, who had earlier reported sick leading to the postponement of the poll, refuted all allegations levelled by the Opposition and accused them of attempts such as “booth capturing” instead.

SAD votes for BJP

Other than 14 votes of the BJP councillors and one of MP Kirron Kher, ex officio member, the SAD’s lone councillor, Hardeep Singh, who had boycotted the previous two mayoral elections in the current term of the MC, also voted for the BJP. “My vote for the three posts was against the alliance of AAP and the Congress,” he told Chandigarh Tribune.

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