From courtroom to counting center: Supreme Court reverses sarpanch poll result

In a rare and unprecedented development, the Supreme Court of India recently summoned Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and related records for a Sarpanch election in Haryana — and went on to conduct the recount within its own premises.

The exercise, the first of its kind in the Court’s history, led to the reversal of the poll outcome, declaring Mohit Kumar the duly elected Sarpanch of Buana Lakhu village in Panipat district. The recount was personally overseen by the apex court’s Registry under the supervision of a Bench comprising Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta, and N. Kotiswar Singh.

The dispute stemmed from the village’s Sarpanch election held on 2 November 2022, in which Kuldeep Singh was initially declared the winner. Mohit Kumar contested the result, filing an election petition before the Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division)-cum-Election Tribunal, Panipat.

On 22 April 2025, the Tribunal directed a recount at booth number 69, instructing the Deputy Commissioner-cum-Election Officer to carry it out on 7 May 2025.

This order was overturned by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on 1 July 2025, prompting Kumar to appeal to the Supreme Court.

When the case reached the apex court on 31 July, the Bench took note of the “peculiar facts and circumstances” and issued a remarkable order: all EVMs and election records from every booth in the village were to be brought to the Court’s Registrar by the deputy commissioner and district election officer, Panipat.

The court expanded the recount to cover all booths, not just the one originally in dispute.

Acting on the Supreme Court’s directive, the recount took place on August 6 under the supervision of Supreme Court OSD (Registrar) Kaveri. Votes from all six designated booths (Nos. 65 to 70) were meticulously recounted in the presence of representatives and counsel for both sides.

Senior advocate Liz Mathew represented petitioner Mohit Kumar, while Senior advocate Gagan Gupta appeared for respondent Kuldeep Singh. The entire process was videographed to ensure complete transparency.

The Registrar’s report to the court revealed a decisive shift from the earlier result. Of the 3,767 votes cast, Mohit Kumar secured 1,051, while Kuldeep Singh received 1,000.

When the Bench reviewed the report on 11 August, it observed there was “prima facie no reason to doubt” the findings, especially since the recount had been fully videographed and signed off by both parties’ representatives.

The court accordingly set aside the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s order, declaring Mohit Kumar the duly elected Sarpanch. It directed the deputy commissioner-cum-election officer, Panipat, to notify the result within two days, enabling Kumar to immediately assume office.