The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday denied any interim relief on a plea by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader seeking fresh mayoral elections for Chandigarh Municipal Corporation but issued notices to the Chandigarh administration and the Municipal Corporation.
The Court asked the respondents to file their replies in the matter in three weeks.
On Tuesday, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s candidate, Manoj Sonkar, won the post of mayor by securing 16 votes in the 35-member municipal corporation House while Congress-AAP candidate Kuldeep Kumar got 12 votes. After losing the poll, Mr. Kumar, the INDIA bloc candidate, approached the High Court, seeking to set aside the process of the election of the Mayor, alleging complete fraud and forgery in the process of elections. In his petition, he also sought fresh elections and presented a submission to hold back the elected mayor from discharging the duties of the post.
Also Read | Chandigarh Mayoral polls | BJP candidate Manoj Sonkar wins post of Mayor; defeats AAP’s Kuldeep Kumar
Advocate Gurminder Singh, the counsel for the petitioner told reporters that the Court has issued notices to the Chandigarh administration, the MC and given them three weeks to file their replies. Senior standing counsel Anil Mehta said the Court did not give any interim relief to the petitioner.
Congress and AAP members had created a ruckus in the House, alleging poll rigging by the presiding officer Anil Masih at the behest of the BJP. The BJP and the presiding officer, however, rejected the charge.
Leaders of the AAP and Congress staged separate protests outside the police station in Sector 17, demanding that the Chandigarh Police register a case against Anil Masih, the presiding officer appointed for the mayor elections.
