DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand State Election Commission (SEC) has broken its silence following a stinging rebuke from the Supreme Court, which not only dismissed its plea but also slapped a fine of Rs two lakh over the poll body's handling of recent Panchayat election controversies.
The fine is directly linked to the SEC's unsuccessful attempt to challenge a High Court order concerning candidates possessing dual voter identification cards.
State Election Commissioner Sushil Kumar confirmed the penalty, attributing the Supreme Court's displeasure to the quality of legal arguments presented on the commission's behalf.
"The Supreme Court refused to intervene in the High Court's order. As far as the fine is concerned, this penalty was imposed by the Supreme Court because it was dissatisfied with the arguments put forth by the commission's advocate," Commissioner Kumar stated.
This year's three-tier Panchayat polls were fraught with disputes, ranging from reservation issues to the contentious matter of dual voter IDs. The SEC found itself in a legal bind when it appealed against an interim High Court stay that blocked an SEC circular. This circular had controversially allowed candidates whose names appeared on multiple electoral rolls to contest the elections held in July.
The Supreme Court's decision to reject the SEC’s petition and impose the fine signals a significant judicial warning regarding procedural integrity.
Commissioner Kumar assured the public that the commission is taking the judicial censure seriously. "We will ensure stronger and more concrete legal representation in the future," he added, acknowledging the need for improved legal strategy following this costly setback.
According to the SEC sources, BJP won 122 seats in the Panchayat elections in Uttarakhand, while Congress secured 80 seats. Notably, independent candidates made a strong showing, winning 152 seats. The elections were held for 10,831 seats across 12 districts, excluding Haridwar, for District Panchayat members, Block Panchayat members, and Gram Pradhans.
