KUNWAR NRIPENDRA BAHADUR SINGH Vs. JAI RAM VERMA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This appeal under Section 116A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, is directed against the judgment of the Allahabad High Court in the matter of an election to the U. P. Legislative Council held on April 28, 1974, from the Local Authorities Constituency, Faizabad. We are concerned here with Kshettra Samitis which are the local authorities (see Fourth Schedule of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, Uttar Pradesh). Besides the appellant, ten candidates (respondents 1 to 10) filed their nomination papers. Six of them (respondents 5 to 10) had withdrawn their candidature. Out of the five left there was no contest worth the name from respondents 2, 3 and 4. The principal contest, therefore, was between the appellant and respondent No. 1 (hereinafter to be described only as respondent). The last date for submission of nomination papers was April 2, 1974. At the poll the appellant secured 927 votes and the respondent 909, the difference being only of 18 votes. The appellant was therefore, declared elected on April 29, 1974.

(2.) The respondent filed an election petition (being No. 11 of 1974) before the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court. As many as 13 issues were raised before the High Court and we are principally concerned with only one question which is the subject-matter of issue Nos. 1, 4 and 13. The issues read as follows:-

(3.) These issues cover the case of 17 persons whose names were recorded as electors in the electoral rolls grounded on the requisite qualification that 13 of them were presidents of their respective Co-operative Societies and the remaining 4 were co-opted members of Kshettra Samitis. But since they had ceased to be the Presidents or co-opted members on the new office bearers being subsequently elected in their places long before the notification of the election, they were wrongly continued in their electoral rolls and as such were not entitled to vote notwithstanding the presence of their names in the electoral rolls. Their participation in the election has materially affected the result. This is the case of the respondent.