SC declared Kuldeep Kumar of AAP-INC alliance as Mayor

Criminal proceedings under section 340 of CrPC initiated against Anil Masih

Anil Masih was just a pawn: Kejriwal

The Supreme Court on 20th February declared Kuldeep Kumar of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)- Indian National Congress (INC) as the mayor of Chandigarh and initiated criminal proceedings under section 340 of the Code of Criminal Procedure against the Presiding Officer Anil Masih. “It is evident that in each of the 8 ballots, the vote has been duly cast in favour of the petitioner. The Presiding Officer has evidently put his own mark for the purpose of creating a ground for treating the ballot as invalidly cast…it is evident that the Presiding Officer is guilty of a serious misdemeanour in doing what he did in his role and capacity as presiding officer. Registrar Judicial is directed to issue a notice to Anil Masih, to show cause as to why steps should not be initiated against him under Section 340 CrPC,” the Chief Justice of India mentioned in the order. 

Chief Minister of Delhi and founder of AAP Arvind Kejriwal reacted to this development. “There is so much sin that lord Krishna has decided to interfere himself. It was no coincidence that cameras captured their (BJP) sins in Chandigarh’s mayoral election… The way the Supreme Court has given its verdict, it seems god was speaking through CJI. A few people don’t go to vote because they think there is an issue with EVM but I want to appeal to them that please go for voting and all other things will be taken care of by god…Anil Masih was just a pawn and he has been given punishment but his masters should be punished,” he said.