High Court Rejects Election Petition Over 28-Vote Loss

The Madhya Pradesh High Court dismissed Hukum Singh Karada's petition challenging his 28-vote loss to Arun Bhimawad in the 2023 assembly polls. The court found Karada's claims of voting irregularities lacked material facts and evidence, violating requirements under the Representation of the People Act 1951.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has dismissed a petition filed by Congress candidate Hukum Singh Karada, who contested his 28-vote defeat to BJP's Arun Bhimawad in the 2023 assembly elections. The court cited a lack of material facts as the basis for its decision.

Karada's petition alleged discrepancies in the counting process, particularly the rejection of 158 postal ballots. However, Justice Pranay Verma noted that the petition's pleadings were not supported by necessary documentation, failing to meet the stipulations of the Representation of the People Act 1951.

The High Court emphasized that recounting votes should not be a standard response unless substantiated by substantial evidence. It warned against allowing petitions that could be duplicated in similar electoral disputes over postal ballot rejections.

(With inputs from agencies.)