Every vote has its own value, irrespective of its effect in the final outcome and its sanctity should be protected, the Court said.
Listen to this Article
Each and every document pertaining to an election is important and all efforts should be made to preserve the same, observed the Supreme Court in a recent judgment.
The Court made this observation in the context of an election of a Gram Pradhan in a village in Uttar Pradesh, which was held in 2021. There were disputes regarding the final count of votes polled and the Presiding Officers' records were missing. Therefore, the Court observed that the final counts was in the realm of questionability.
The diary of the Presiding Officer of the polling booths, which is an essential document recording the casting of votes, could not be found despite a concerted effort, the Court noted.
While ordering a recount, a bench of Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice NK Singh observed :
"The candidates in the election wanting to keep an eye on voting during the day and inspect records of the same is something which cannot be denied to them. If the Presiding Officers' records are missing and cannot be verified, it can be found that the final conclusion is within the realm of questionability. Each and every document pertaining to an election is important and all efforts should be made to preserve the same."
