BJP wins Chandigarh mayoral elections: Manoj Sonkar gets 16 out of 36 votes; 8 ballots cancelled

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has clinched victory in the Chandigarh mayoral elections. BJP councillor Manoj Sonkar is the new mayor. The election ended with Sonkar amassing 16 votes. He outstripped Kuldeep Singh, the combined nominee of the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Singh got 12 votes.

Controversy enveloped the election as accusations flew against the presiding officer, Anil Masih, for allegedly making tick marks on polled votes. It led to the cancellation of eight ballots.

Manoj Sonkar, 39, has studied up to Class 7. He is the owner of a liquor business. His victory marks a critical juncture in the city's governance.

A councillor from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) earlier called for the inclusion of the None Of The Above (NOTA) option. The request was unmet due to the absence of such a provision in the Municipal Corporation Act.

The path to these mayoral elections was closely watched. Initially scheduled for January 18, the election faced a postponement due to the presiding officer's ill health. This delay sparked protests from members of the AAP and the Congress, who voiced suspicions of manipulation by the BJP. The High Court of Punjab and Haryana intervened. It advanced the polls to January 30 from the initially revised date of February 6.

Security was a paramount concern during the electoral proceedings, with approximately 700 police personnel, supported by paramilitary forces, ensuring peace and order. The polling unfolded in the Assembly Hall of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, Sector 17. Renowned Member of Parliament Kirron Kher, as an ex officio member, cast the first vote as the polling spanned an hour.

The election bears broader political implications, viewed as a preliminary contest