Downright disgraceful

The Supreme Court judges’ chastisement of the Returning Officer (RO) who conducted the election of the Chandigarh Mayor on January 30 declaring the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Manoj Sonkar as the winner is a rap on knuckle of powers-that-be behind the fraud.

The apex court has not only dubbed it ‘murder of the democracy’, but also pleaded for the prosecution of Anil Masih who was appointed the RO.

The comments have been made orally and the details of proceedings of the entire case would be coming up before the court on February 19.

The RO had declared the BJP candidate winner despite the party being short of a simple majority in the Chandigarh’s 35-member house of the municipal corporation.

There were allegation of rigging as seven ballot papers were held invalid by the RO. The case was taken to the court by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress which had fielded a joint candidate Kuldeep Kumar.

The two parties had submitted a video footage showing Anil Masih writing over the ballot papers and spreading ink even while stealthily looking at a CCTV camera in a deliberate bid to invalidate them.

The court even wondered if he was RO or a fugitive. While it is left to the apex court to declare the election null and void and announce prosecution of the man involved, the RO’s role is downright disgraceful and marks a new low in the electoral history where the sanctity of the electoral process has been shattered to smithereens.

If the BJP could plumb such depths—let us be reminded that BJP chief Nadda had immediately hailed the victory of the party candidate—just prior to the General Elections, can its administration be depended for holding the elections in a free and fair manner.

Can the party ensure ensure neutrality of umpire in an exercise that would pan across the nation?