The Uttarakhand High Court on Monday made it clear that it will not interfere in the ongoing police investigation into the controversial election for the chairman and vice-chairman posts of the Nainital Zila Panchayat. The state government informed the court that Director General of Police (DGP) Deepam Seth is personally monitoring the probe into the alleged irregularities.
Court's Stance and Initial Suo Motu Action
The bench, comprising Chief Justice G Narendar and Justice Subhash Upadhyay, reiterated its position of non-interference in the active police investigation. This case came to the fore after the High Court, on August 14, took suo motu cognisance of a viral video. The footage purportedly showed the abduction of five Zila Panchayat members during the election process.
Separate petitions were also filed seeking judicial relief. These were submitted by ZP member Poonam Bisht and Congress-backed candidate Pushpa Negi, challenging the election's validity.
Allegations and Counterclaims in Court
During the proceedings, DGP Deepam Seth appeared before the court via video conferencing. The hearing saw senior advocate Avtar Singh Rawat, representing the petitioner, raise a concern. He alleged that the inquiry was first assigned to IPS officer Arun Mohan Joshi but was later transferred to another officer, hinting at possible procedural issues.
Countering this, Advocate General SN Babulkar, appearing for the state government, provided a significant assurance. He stated that the DGP himself was now supervising the investigation, thereby leaving no scope to question its fairness or impartiality.
Specific Irregularities and Member Statements
The bench acknowledged it was aware of the multiple allegations surrounding the election. These include the serious claim of the five ZP members' abduction, an instance of overwriting on a ballot paper, and subsequent demands for a re-election for the chairman's post.
In her plea, petitioner Poonam Bisht gave a specific example of the alleged malpractice. She claimed one ballot paper was wrongly declared invalid due to overwriting, where the number "1" was allegedly changed to "2".
However, in a twist to the abduction narrative, the five Zila Panchayat members later appeared before both the State Election Commission and the court. They submitted statements asserting that they had not been abducted and had left the election premises of their own free will.
Conclusion and Path Forward
With the Uttarakhand High Court opting not to intervene and the state's top police officer directly overseeing the case, the focus now remains squarely on the police investigation. The probe is expected to thoroughly examine the conflicting claims—the serious allegations of abduction and ballot tampering against the subsequent denials by the members themselves. The outcome will be crucial in determining the legitimacy of the Nainital Zila Panchayat's leadership election.
