CHANDIGARH: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress alliance today filed a petition in the Punjab-Haryana High Court challenging the result of Chandigarh Mayoral election in which BJP candidate was declared winner by presiding officer.
The court will hear the matter on January 31. It is alleged that presiding officer had wringfully declared eight votes of AAP-Congress MC;s invalid to ensure victory of BJP. The election was held on the orders of High Court after election was postponed on January 18 on filmsy grounds.
Lawyer Ferry Sofat, who is advocating for the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress said "Mentioning was done before the Court to file a writ petition. The court allowed the mentioning and fixed the matter for a hearing tomorrow, 31st January.
Sofat said that the way BJP violated the democratic norms was seen by the whole nation. He said that they have challenged the whole process in the high court.
He further said that in the last hearing, the Punjab Haryana High Court had ordered that the Chandigarh Mayor elections should be conducted in a completely free and fair manner adding that "the entire voting process should be videographed.". AAP leaders have alleged fraud is played by BJP.
The BJP's Manoj Sonkar won the Chandigarh mayoral elections on Tuesday, the first election battle against the INDIA bloc by defeating the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Kuldeep Kumar.
BJP candidate had secured 16 votes one above the number of MCs and a vote of MP and the joint candidate of Congress and AAP was able to manage 12 votes. 8 votes were declared invalid. The SAD candidate has voted in favour of BJP.
Manoj Sonkar alleged that AAP-Congress leaders started tearing ballot papers and jostling people around after the name of the Mayor was announced.