An unsuccessful candidate in the Garhshankar Municipal Council poll has served a legal notice on the Punjab State Election Commission, demanding a probe into the alleged creation of fake votes to ensure the victory of his rival.
Allegations of Fake Voter Registration
Kulwinder Sangha, who contested from Ward No. 4, alleged that fake votes were created in the recently concluded MC poll to secure the victory of Prince, the winning candidate and nephew of Garhshankar MLA and Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Jai Krishan Rouri. The notice seeks action under Sections 17 and 31 of the Representation of the People Act and Section 217 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. It warns that if the Election Commission fails to act, the matter will be taken before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
List of 55 Disputed Voters
A list of 55 persons has been attached to the notice. According to the allegations, they were already registered as voters in other villages or wards but were added to the voter list of Ward No. 4 in Garhshankar. The notice points out that many of them were shown as residing at “House No. 0” in the electoral records. It is alleged that these individuals voted in the elections. Sangha stated that he had submitted a written complaint to the Punjab State Election Commission on May 12, highlighting the issue.
Previous Complaints Ignored
He said a social and RTI activist had also lodged a complaint on May 20, alleging large-scale fake voter registrations in Garhshankar. However, according to him, no action was taken on their complaints. Sangha claimed that the winning candidate, his parents, brother and sister-in-law were also registered in Ward No. 4 only a few days before the elections. According to the notice, the list of disputed voters includes relatives of MLA Jai Krishan Rouri, including three uncles, five aunts and several other persons from Rouri village in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district.
Geographical Discrepancies
It also alleges that the names of the MLA’s four sisters were added to Ward No. 4 despite their actual residences being located several kilometres away. The notice states that the questioned voters belong to Rouri, Singhpur, Chandpur Rurki, Shobhuwal, Sandrewal, Udhanowal, Bahiram and Karnana villages in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district, and Kulewal, Bakapur, Rampur Bilron and Daduwal villages in Hoshiarpur. Sangha has demanded a thorough investigation into the matter and appropriate legal action against those responsible.
