New Delhi /Chandigarh, Aug 13: Supreme Court conducted a recount of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) ballots on its own premises, overturning the outcome of a 2022 panchayat election in Haryana’s Panipat district.
The recount, ordered by a bench led by Justice Surya Kant and including Justices Dipankar Datta and N Kotiswar Singh, declared Mohit Kumar as the duly elected Sarpanch of Buana Lakhu village, replacing Kuldeep Singh, who was earlier declared winner.
“The Deputy Commissioner-cum-Election Officer, Panipat, is, accordingly, directed to issue a notification… declaring the appellant (Mohit Kumar) as the elected Sarpanch,” the bench said in its August 11 order, adding that Kumar “shall be entitled to assume the said office forthwith and perform his duties.”
The dispute arose from the November 2, 2022, Sarpanch election in which Singh was announced victorious. Kumar challenged the result before the Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division)-cum-Election Tribunal, which on April 22, 2025, ordered a recount for booth number 69 to be carried out on May 7, 2025.
However, the Punjab and Haryana High Court quashed that order on July 1, 2025. Kumar then appealed to the Supreme Court. On July 31, the top court took the rare step of summoning all EVMs and election records, directing its Registrar to conduct a full recount rather than a partial one.
“In view of the peculiar facts and circumstances… the Deputy Commissioner and the District Election Officer, Panipat, Haryana, is directed to produce all EVMs before the Registrar… The nominated Registrar shall recount the votes, not only of the disputed booth but of all the booths,” the July 31 order stated.
On August 6, OSD (Registrar) Kaveri, in the presence of both parties and their advocates, recounted votes from booths 65 to 70. Of the 3,767 votes cast, Kumar received 1,051, while Singh secured 1,000. The process was video-recorded and signed off by representatives of both sides.
“There being prima facie no reason to doubt the report… we are satisfied that the appellant deserves to be declared as the elected Sarpanch,” the court said, setting aside the High Court’s verdict.
The bench clarified that either party may still raise any residual issues before the Election Tribunal.
