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The Supreme Court has designated retired Justice Jaishree Thakur, formerly of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, to serve as an independent observer for the Chandigarh mayoral election on January 30.
The decision aims to ensure the election is conducted transparently and without bias.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh announced the appointment, stating, “We consider it appropriate to appoint Justice Jaishree Thakur, former Judge of Punjab & Haryana High Court, as the independent observer.”
The court instructed that the entire election process take place under Justice Thakur’s direct observation and be fully recorded on video. It also directed the election’s returning officer to coordinate with her in advance to facilitate smooth proceedings.
To compensate for her role, the bench ordered the Chandigarh union territory administration to pay Justice Thakur an honorarium of ₹1 lakh within one week. Adequate security measures are also to be arranged for her.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Chandigarh administration, supported the move but stressed that this should not become a precedent for similar requests in municipal elections across the country.
The Supreme Court clarified that the appointment was made in response to concerns raised by the petitioner, not due to any doubt regarding the impartiality of the authorities managing the election. The bench explained, “This court has no reservations about the independence or fairness of the authorities.
However, the decision to appoint an independent observer was taken to address the apprehensions expressed by the petitioner.”
The bench emphasized that its involvement was restricted to the specific issue of appointing an observer to guarantee a fair election process on the designated date.
This decision underscores the Supreme Court’s commitment to safeguarding democratic principles and ensuring that electoral processes remain fair and credible while addressing genuine concerns raised in such matters.
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