The Chandigarh mayoral election on Tuesday faced controversy as opposition parties leveled accusations of misconduct against the BJP. Anil Masih, the Presiding Officer at the heart of the dispute over alleged ballot tampering, justified his actions during the vote count. He asserted that members of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress had requested the replacement of 11 ballots due to marks and spots.

“A total of 36 votes were cast. While issuing the ballot papers, several AAP and Congress councillors expressed concerns about spots and marks on them. They requested around 11 ballot papers to be changed,” Masih told news agency ANI. “I respected their request and set aside the questionable ballot papers, issuing them fresh ones.”

According to Masih, chaos ensued during the announcement of results. The BJP candidate Manoj Sonkar received 16 votes, AAP’s Kuldeep Kumar garnered 12, and eight votes were declared invalid. Masih alleged that instead of verifying the ballots, AAP and some Congress councillors caused disruptions.

The BJP emerged triumphant in the Chandigarh mayoral elections, clinching the top three positions and delivering a substantial setback to the AAP and Congress alliance, which jointly contested the elections under the INDIA bloc banner.

Opposition councillors alleged ballot tampering following the disqualification of eight votes, with AAP citing video evidence purportedly showing Masih marking ballots. The BJP dismissed the accusations.

AAP MP Raghav Chadha demanded legal action against Masih and urged the filing of a criminal case. The party also approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking to nullify the results and arrange fresh elections under the supervision of a retired judge.

Leaders from multiple opposition parties, such as the Congress, AAP, and Samajwadi Party, joined forces in condemning the BJP. They accused the party of “undermining” democracy and “ignoring” constitutional norms.