NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a plea filed by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor, Kuldeep Kumar, challenging a Punjab and Haryana High Court's order refusing to grant any interim relief to the party seeking fresh mayoral polls in Chandigarh.
The councillor of the defeated AAP, Kumar had knocked the doors of the Supreme Court had yesterday challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court order refusing to grant any interim relief to the party seeking fresh mayoral polls in Chandigarh.
BJP’s Manoj Sonkar was elected as the Mayor on January 30, after he bagged 16 votes against the 12 votes received by the Congress-AAP candidate Kumar.
Senior advocate Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for AAP’s councillor, Kumar, mentioned the matter before a bench of the Apex Court, headed by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dr Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud, who said, he would look into the matter and list the case for hearing. The Top Court, however, did not fix any date today to take up the case.
Dr Singhvi submitted that the returning officer was caught on video smudging the ballots.
The AAP had alleged tampering with ballot papers and sought fresh polls under the supervision of a retired judge of the court.
The high court issued a notice on the plea to the Chandigarh administration and sought its response within three weeks.
Kumar has moved the Supreme Court pleading for a direction for immediate stay on the election result in which a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate was declared elected as Mayor of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation.
Kumar in his petition alleged fraud in BJP’s win and forgery in rejection of the eight votes.