After weeks of suspense and legal hurdles, the results of Nainital District Panchayat elections were declared. BJP candidate Deepa Darmwal has been elected as the District Panchayat chairperson, defeating Congress candidate Pushpa Negi by a narrow margin of one vote. Deepa secured 11 votes, while Pushpa received 10, with one vote declared invalid.
For the vice-chairperson’s post, Congress candidate Devki Bisht emerged victorious. Both BJP and Congress candidates secured equal votes, leading to a tie-breaker through a toss, which went in Devki’s favor.
The elections were held on August 14, but results were withheld by the Election Commission and kept in sealed envelopes following allegations from both parties. Congress and BJP had accused each other of abducting five district panchayat members, a matter later brought before the High Court. The court questioned law and order and even reprimanded the SSP during hearings before the results were officially announced on August 19.
