The Supreme Court was hearing a petition on the Chandigarh mayoral election.
Taking a tough stand on the alleged defacement of ballot papers during the Chandigarh Mayor elections, the Supreme Court has said that Returning Officer Anil Masih should be prosecuted for “interference in the election process”.
The court said this after seeking Mr Masih’s reply, saying this is the first time in the history of independent India that a returning officer has been cross-examined by the Chief Justice of the country.
Hearing a petition on Monday on alleged irregularities in the elections, a day after three AAP councilors joined the BJP, the Supreme Court also said the “horsetrading” going on is a serious matter.
The court has asked the ballot papers to be brought to it for examination on Tuesday. After initially proposing that the votes should be counted by a new returning officer rather than holding fresh elections, the court said it would decide on the issue after examining the ballot papers.
During the counting of the mayoral election on January 30, returning officer Anil Masih had declared eight votes invalid and AAP’s mayoral candidate was defeated by BJP’s Manoj Sonkar by a margin of four votes. AAP had claimed that Mr Masih, a member of the BJP’s minority cell, had deliberately invalidated the votes.
A video of Mr Masih writing on the ballot papers of some AAP councilors while looking at the camera had surfaced, and the Supreme Court had called his action a “mockery of democracy” during a hearing on February 5.
‘Answer truthfully’
During the hearing on Monday, a bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, JB Pardiwala and Manoj Mishra took note of the fact that BJP’s Manoj Sonkar had resigned from the post of mayor the previous evening and then asked Mr Masih to come forward and answer some questions. Asked for.
Chief Justice Chandrachud said, “Mr Masih, I am asking you a question. If you do not answer truthfully you will be prosecuted. This is a serious matter. We have seen the video. What were you doing looking at the cameras and crossing off the ballot papers? Why were you marking?”
Admitting that he had marked eight ballot papers with a cross (X), Mr Masih replied that he did so because the ballot papers which had been defaced had to be separated.
The Chief Justice asked, “Why did you (Mr Masih) mutilate the ballot papers? You were only supposed to sign the papers. Where is it provided in the rules that you can put other marks on the ballot papers?”
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Chief Justice Chandrachud then turned to Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, who was representing the Chandigarh administration, and said, “Mr Solicitor, he (Mr Masih) will have to be prosecuted. He is interfering in the election process.”
Rahul Gandhi took the names of Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan while attacking PM Modi.
Rahul Gandhi claimed no OBC or ST/SC faces were invited to the grand event.
New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday took the name of Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan and his daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan while attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony last month.
Addressing a gathering as his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra reached Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, Rahul Gandhi claimed that the people running the country were kept away from the temple event, but Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan were present.
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Rahul Gandhi claimed that no OBC or ST/SC face was invited to this grand event.
“Did you see ‘Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha’? Did you see any OBC or ST/SC face? It was attended by Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Bachchan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but we did not see the people who actually run it The country. These people want to ensure that you people can never control the country,” he said, according to PTI.
The Ram temple consecration ceremony was presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. It was attended by thousands of celebrities, politicians and other dignitaries. However, the opposition did not participate in the program claiming that the BJP was trying to score political points.
Also read: ‘At the behest of the chief cameraman’: Congress claims Rahul Gandhi refused to take pictures during Varanasi temple visit
Rahul Gandhi’s yatra reached the historic city at 4 pm today. UP Congress President Ajay Rai and other senior leaders were also present along with Gandhi.
Gandhi will visit his former constituency Amethi on Monday. Gandhi had lost her parliamentary constituency to BJP’s Smriti Irani.
The party said that Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will also go to Amethi with Rahul.
Congress media coordinator Anil Singh said, “All preparations for Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Naya Yatra’ have been completed. Rahul Gandhi will first be welcomed in Kakwa. His Nyaya Yatra will be from Rampur Khas assembly constituency of Pratapgarh district to Amethi. Will enter the border.” ‘Amethi District Unit.
Also read: Rahul Gandhi’s ‘urgent need’ in Wayanad, suddenly stopped the visit in Varanasi. What happened here?
Responding to his visit, UP Minister Dayashankar Singh said that Congress has accepted defeat in UP.
“Rahul Gandhi has nothing left in Uttar Pradesh now. Sonia Gandhi had the Rae Bareli seat, but she left it to go to the Rajya Sabha. So, it seems she has accepted defeat even before the (2024 Lok Sabha) elections. Have done.” He said.
‘Ram, Vam, Shyam’: Amid Sandeshkhali controversy, Mamata Banerjee attacks CongresBJPs, Left,
Mamata Banerjee said the Election Commission has been working for the BJP.
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of trying to disturb peace in Sandeshkhali area of 24 North Parganas district. He said his government has taken action against local TMC leaders but the BJP leadership has not taken any action against its workers. He said that BJP, Left and Congress (Ram, Left, Shyam) are in collusion against him in the state.
“We always take action if anything goes wrong. First the ED, then the BJP, and then the media. They are trying to disrupt the peace there [Sandeshkhali]. If there are any allegations, we will take action, and whoever Those taken will be forcibly returned. I have asked the police to take suo motu cognizance. Our block president has been arrested. Arabul Islam has also been arrested in Bhangar. But what action has BJP taken against its leaders? Remember Keep in mind, BJP is anti-Bengali, anti-women, anti-farmer and anti-Dalit,” he said.
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Mamta Banerjee said that the Election Commission is working for BJP.
“They are using ED and CBI to threaten us. If the Election Commission is working on the orders of BJP, then keep in mind that we have the right to fight and express our opinion. First, I have to face the torture of the leftists. Had to do it and now I will have to face the harassment of BJP. Ram-Vam-Shyam [BJP, Left, Congress] have joined hands. They had joined hands a long time ago. This is the same CPI(M) which plays with death. Was,” he added.
Mamata Banerjee attacks BJP over farmers’ protests, PMLA cases
Responding to the farmers’ protests in Punjab and Delhi, Banerjee said that the BJP creates anarchy everywhere.
“BJP is creating chaos everywhere and instigating one community against another. We call farmers annadata. They are food providers for us but look how they (BJP) are treating them. Punjab, Delhi And look at Haryana, it is burning. They are hammering nails so that the farmers cannot reach there. I sympathize with all our farmers.”
Apart from this, while referring to the cases under Prevention of Money Laundering Act, the West Bengal CM said that there is a proper way of working in such cases.
“There is another thing – PMLA. If you have any allegation against someone, you investigate properly and chargesheet. Let the law take its course. But you cannot keep someone behind bars. If If you think so, you can do it.” Win the election, you are wrong. Even Indira Gandhi did the same during the Emergency, but still lost,” he said.
Police have arrested two TMC leaders in Sandeshkhali on charges of land grabbing, sexual harassment and gang rape. They are still searching for the main accused Shahjahan Shaikh, who allegedly ordered the attack on Enforcement Directorate officials last month.
Mamata Banerjee vs Congress
In January, Banerjee had attacked her Indian bloc ally Congress, days after announcing that her Trinamool Congress would contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections alone over an alliance with the CPI(M).
Also read: Why is Sandeshkhali of West Bengal at its peak since last one week?
He said, “I told the Congress that they do not have a single MLA in the state assembly. I offered him two Lok Sabha seats and said that I would ensure that he wins from both the seats. He refused and wanted more seats. I told him that I will not leave even a single seat. I asked him to first break ties with CPIM. I have not forgotten how CPIM oppressed our people,” she had said.
Even though the Congress is shying away from directly attacking Banerjee, her Trinamool is taking a dig at the Mallikarjun Kharge-led party.
Unveiling ‘Election 2024: The Big Picture’, a new segment in HT’s talk show ‘The Interview with Kumkum Chadha’, where leaders from across the political spectrum discuss the upcoming general elections. watch now!
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