The Supreme Court has annulled the election of the Sarpanch for Gram Panchayat Buana Lakhu in Haryana’s Panipat district after a recount supervised by the court revealed that the appellant received the most votes.

A panel consisting of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta, and N K Singh instructed the Deputy Commissioner-cum-Election Officer of Panipat to issue a notification within two days to declare the appellant, Mohit Kumar, as elected, enabling him to take office immediately.

The election for the Sarpanch position took place on November 2, 2022, where the respondent, Kuldeep Singh, was initially declared the winner. Mohit Kumar contested the outcome before the Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division)-cum-Election Tribunal, which on April 22, 2025, identified valid reasons for a recount at a specific booth. However, this decision was reversed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on July 1, leading Mohit Kumar to appeal to the Supreme Court.

In an order issued on July 31, the Bench led by Justice Kant mandated the District Election Officer to present all the EVMs to the Registrar of the Supreme Court.

“The appointed Registrar shall conduct a recount of the votes, not just for the disputed booth but for all booths. The recounting process must be properly video recorded. The results of the recount shall be signed by the Registrar, the petitioner, the respondent no.1 or their authorized representative, as well as the assisting counsel,” the order stated.

In accordance with the directive from the highest court, the OSD (Registrar) conducted a recount of the votes from all polling booths, resulting in Mohit Kumar receiving 1,051 votes, while Kuldeep Singh garnered 1,000.

Upon accepting the recount, the Justice Surya Kant-Bench remarked: “There appears to be no prima facie reason to question the Report provided by the OSD (Registrar) of this Court, particularly since the entire recounting process was properly videographed and the outcome is endorsed by the representatives of both parties. We are convinced that the appellant should be recognized as the elected Sarpanch of Gram Panchayat, Buana Lakhu Village, District Panipat, Haryana.”

Nevertheless, in the pursuit of justice, the apex court permitted the parties to raise any unresolved issues before the Election Tribunal, stating that “the Election Tribunal… shall regard the Report of the OSD (Registrar) of this Court as the definitive and conclusive report regarding the recounting of votes.”

It emphasized that the order to declare the appellant as the elected Sarpanch of Gram Panchayat Buana Lakhu in Panipat is contingent upon the final ruling of the Election Tribunal.

Concluding the appeal along with all outstanding applications, the Supreme Court annulled the contested judgment of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, as the vote recount had been executed in accordance with its directive.