SC sets aside Punjab HC order on minister's election
New Delhi, June 12 (UNI) The Supreme Court today stayed the Punjab and Haryana High Court order setting aside the election of former Punjab minister Govind Singh.
Counsel for the petitioner, Govind Singh, told the apex court that the high court order, dated April 28, 2006, holding that Singh had employed corrupt practices and distributed cash to the voters during the February 13, 2002 polls, was bad in law and therefore liable to be set aside.
A vacation bench, comprising Mr Justice Arijit Pasayat and Mr Justice Altamas Kabir, stayed the high court order after hearing the petitioner's argument.
The petitioner was declared elected as an Independent candidate on February 24, 2002 from the Sherpur reserved seat in Sangrur district. The petitioner was minister for social security, women and child development in the previous Parkash Singh Badal-led SAD government in Punjab.
The petition challenging the election was filed in the high court by defeated Congress candidate Harchand Kaur.
According to Ms Kaur, the elected candidate had not only distributed cash to woo the voters but had also delivered inflammatory speeches, threatening communal peace and harmony in the state.
UNI AKS/SC RR DS1640