Panipat: In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court of India has overturned the result of the 2022 sarpanch election in Buana Lakhu village, Panipat district, after conducting an unprecedented court-monitored recount of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) on its own premises. The recount has declared Mohit Kumar as the new Sarpanch, defeating previously announced winner Kuldeep Singh. This is the first time the Supreme Court has conducted an EVM recount within its premises, setting a precedent for transparency in India’s democratic process.
As per the Times of India report, the Panchayat election, held on November 2, 2022, saw Kuldeep Singh declared as sarpanch. Runner-up Mohit Kumar challenged the outcome, citing counting discrepancies. He first approached the Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division)-cum-Election Tribunal in Panipat, which on April 22, 2025, ordered a recount for one polling booth (No. 69).
However, the Punjab and Haryana High Court reportedly quashed this order on July 1, 2025, leading Kumar to approach the Supreme Court. On July 31, a bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta, and N. Kotiswar Singh ordered a comprehensive recount from all six polling booths (Nos. 65–70), not just the disputed one.
The Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer of Panipat were instructed to bring all EVMs and records to the court, where the recount was supervised by Supreme Court OSD (Registrar) Kaveri on August 6, 2025. The process, fully videographed for transparency, was attended by both candidates’ representatives and lawyers.
The results after recounting reversed the 2022 results: Out of 3,767 votes, Mohit Kumar received 1,051 votes, Kuldeep Singh 1,000.
On August 11, 2025, the Supreme Court accepted the recount report, noting it was “prima facie credible” since it was signed by both sides and videographed. It set aside the High Court’s ruling and directed that Mohit Kumar be declared elected within two days. Mohit Kumar took the oath of office at the Israna BDO office on August 14, 2025.
The resealed EVMs and records will now be submitted to the election tribunal for official records.
Observers have called the ruling a milestone in electoral integrity. Commentator Devinder Sharma posted, “This exclusive report is damning. It only shows how people have to be doubly alert to save democracy.”
