First-ever Supreme Court-ordered EVM recount flips Haryana panchayat poll result

In a first-of-its-kind exercise, the Supreme Court summoned Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and other records of the election of sarpanch of the gram panchayat of Buana Lakhu village, Panipat, Haryana, and held recounting of votes on its premises, leading to the reversal of results.

The recounting was done by the Supreme Court OSD (Registrar) Kaveri in the presence of both parties and their advocates and the entire exercise was video-graphed. "The Deputy Commissioner-cum-Election Officer, Panipat, is, accordingly, directed to issue a notification in this regard within two days declaring the appellant (Mohit Kumar) as the elected Sarpanch of the above-mentioned gram panchayat,” a Bench led by Justice Surya Kant said in its August 11 order.

“The appellant (Mohit Kumar) shall be entitled to assume the said office (of sarpanch)  forthwith and perform his duties," ordered the Bench which also included Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice N Kotiswar Singh..

The controversy pertained to the election of Sarpanch held on November 2, 2022, in which Kuldeep Singh was declared elected over rival Mohit Kumar. Appellant Kumar filed an election petition challenging the result before the Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division)-cum-Election Tribunal of Panipat who on April 22, 2025, ordered recounting of votes of booth no. 69 by the Deputy Commissioner-cum-Election Officer on May 7, 2025. However, the Election Tribunal’s order was set aside by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on July 1, 2025. Aggrieved by the high court’s order, Kumar moved the top court.

On July 31, the Supreme Court directed the production of EVMs and other records and ordered recounting of votes of all booths, instead of just one booth by a Registrar of the Supreme Court.

"Taking into consideration the peculiar facts and circumstances of this 1 case, the Deputy Commissioner and the District Election Officer, Panipat, Haryana is directed to produce all EVMs before the Registrar of this Court, to be nominated by the Secretary General, at 10 am on 06.08.2025. The nominated Registrar shall recount the votes, not only of the disputed booth but of all the booths. The recounting shall be duly video-graphed. The petitioner as well as the respondent no.1 or their authorized agents shall remain present at the time of recounting," read the top court’ July 31 order.

On August 6, 2025, OSD (Registrar) Kaveri recounted the votes of all booths (65 to 70) and submitted a report, in which of the total 3,767 votes cast, petitioner Mohit Kumar got 1,051 against 1,000 votes obtained by his nearest rival respondent Kuldeep Singh.

“There being prima facie no reason to doubt the report submitted by the OSD (Registrar) of this court, especially when the entire recounting has been duly video-graphed and its result is signed by the representatives of the parties, we are satisfied that the appellant (Mohit Kumar) deserves to be declared as the elected Sarpanch of the gram panchayat, Buana Lakhu village, District Panipat, Haryana in the election held on 22.11.2022,” the top court said, setting aside the high court’s verdict.

The Bench, however, clarified that the parties may still raise any remaining issues before the Election Tribunal.