Latest news with #AnilMasih
Hindustan Times
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Anil Masih fiasco fallout: Show of hands, not secret ballot, in next Chandigarh mayoral polls
The 2026 Chandigarh mayoral elections will be conducted through a show of hands instead of secret ballots — a fallout of the 2024 controversy in which then-presiding officer Anil Masih was caught on camera tampering with votes. In the 2024 mayoral elections, then presiding officer Anil Masih, a nominated councillor in the MC, was caught on camera invalidating eight votes cast in favour of AAP-Congress alliance candidate Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor, in an apparent attempt to secure victory for the BJP's Manoj Sonkar. (HT File) Following persistent demands from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress for greater transparency in the electoral process, UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria on Tuesday approved an amendment to Regulation 6 of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (Procedure and Conduct of Business) Regulations, 1996. With this amendment, the mayor, senior deputy mayor, and deputy Mayor will now be elected through a show of hands instead of the earlier secret-ballot method. Kataria said the new system will bring greater transparency in the election process and strengthen people's trust in democratic processes. The proposal had been sent to the administrator after it was cleared in the Chandigarh MC House. Since the establishment of the Chandigarh MC in 1996, mayoral elections have been conducted through secret ballots. In the 2024 mayoral elections, then presiding officer Anil Masih, a nominated councillor in the MC, was caught on camera invalidating eight votes cast in favour of AAP-Congress alliance candidate Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor, in an apparent attempt to secure victory for the BJP's Manoj Sonkar. The Supreme Court (SC) later ruled that the vote tampering was deliberate and overturned the results, declaring Dhalor the winner. This decision gave Chandigarh its first non-BJP, non-Congress mayor. The incident sparked nationwide outrage and damaged the BJP's credibility, as reflected in the subsequent Lok Sabha election results. During the MC House meeting in October 2024, AAP, led by former mayor Dhalor, along with its INDIA bloc alliance partner Congress, passed a resolution proposing that future elections be conducted through a show of hands. In January 2025, former mayor Dhalor filed a petition before the SC to replace the secret ballot system with open voting to ensure fairness. However, the SC refused to intervene and left the decision to the administration. The shift to an open voting system will benefit the party with the highest number of councillors, as any councillor wishing to vote for an opposition candidate will have to do so publicly. This will enable political parties to take disciplinary action against councillors who defy party lines. In the 2025 elections, the BJP secured the mayoral position through cross-voting, gaining three opposition votes from AAP and Congress councillors. However, with the new system, such manipulations will become difficult, as councillors will be required to publicly raise their hands to cast votes—similar to how resolutions on development projects and other issues are passed in the House. The mayoral elections are conducted by the deputy commissioner's office. Chandigarh currently lacks an anti-defection law, which allows councillors to switch parties before elections. As a result, party-switching among councillors has been a recurring issue before every election.
Express Tribune
15-03-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
PECA amendments challenged in PHC
The Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act (PECA) 2025 has been challenged in the Peshawar High Court (PHC). The writ petition filed in this regard has taken the stance that the recent amendments restrict fundamental rights such as freedom of expression, privacy and due process of law, which are in violation not only of the Constitution of Pakistan but also of international human rights. The writ petition has been filed by Advocate Noman Mohib Kakakhel on behalf of social media influencer and activist Anil Masih, in which the Ministry of Law and Justice, Ministry of Interior, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), and the Federal Investigation Agency have been made parties. According to the writ petition, the amended act is an attempt to suppress freedom of the press in the name of criminalizing dissent, giving unnecessary powers to regulatory bodies, and the clause of preventing "false and misleading information" can be used against journalists, social workers, and other citizens. According to the petition, the amendment act is made against Articles 4, 9, 10, 10-A, 19, 19-A, and 25 of the Constitution. The amendments restrict freedom of expression and freedom of the press.
