Chandigarh: Manoj Sonkar steps down as mayor, 3 AAP Councillors Join BJP ahead of SC hearing

BJP leader Manoj Sonkar stepped down as the mayor of Chandigarh on Sunday, while three AAP councillors switched their allegiance to the BJP. This development occurred just a day prior to the Supreme Court's hearing of a plea concerning alleged irregularities in the recent mayoral elections.

Sonkar's resignation was submitted to the municipal commissioner, as confirmed by Chandigarh BJP president Jatinder Pal Malhotra. Malhotra told PTI that Congress and the AAP do not have an alliance and are only fooling the public. He added that these two parties will be exposed before the public.

In the meantime, Arun Sood, a senior BJP leader, stated that three AAP councillors have joined their party. The BJP had triumphed in the Chandigarh mayoral elections held on January 30, despite allegations of ballot tampering by the Congress-AAP alliance.

Sonkar had won the mayor's post by securing 16 votes against AAP's Kuldeep Kumar, who had received 12 votes. Eight votes had been declared invalid. Kumar later approached the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear Anil Masih's explanation on 19 February over allegations of tampering with ballot papers in the Chandigarh Mayor Polls. The top court had previously instructed Masih, a council member, to appear before it on the said date.

What did the Supreme Court say? 

The Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud-led bench, including Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, had observed on 5 February that Masih should be prosecuted for defacing the ballot papers, as seen on video.

The Supreme Court criticised the returning officer who oversaw the mayoral elections in Chandigarh, stating that his actions amounted to a 'murder and mockery' of democracy.

The Supreme Court had also postponed the Chandigarh municipal corporation meeting scheduled for 7 February. 

The CJI-led bench said, “We direct that the entire record of the Mayor Chandigarh Municipal Corporation elections be seized with the High Court and the Registrar General and the ballot paper, videography also be preserved. Notice is served to the Returning Officer that He will hand over the records."

Opposition councilors have accused Masih of tampering with the ballot papers, a claim denied by Masih and the BJP. After BJP's Manoj Sonkar won the mayoral election on 30 January, allegations arose against Masih of tampering with eight ballots, later deemed invalid.

Anil Masih, who had served as general secretary of the Chandigarh BJP's minority cell since 2021, was removed from the party's minority cell on 14 February.

(With agency inputs)

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