- By Kamal Kumar
- Mon, 12 Aug 2024 09:08 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP from Jalandhar Charanjit Singh Channi has been embroiled in a new row after the Punjab and Haryana High Court issued him notice for allegedly hiding his poll expense data, which the former Punjab CM incurred during his Lok Sabha campaign. The High Court has deferred the date of the hearing to September 30 in the case.
The petitioner, Gaurav Luthra seeking cancellation of Channi's Lok Sabha membership, levelled serious accusations against him. The petitioner claimed that while filling out the nomination form, Channi had withheld many crucial details. He was also accused of not giving correct details of the expenditure incurred in the election to the commission.
The petition against the senior Punjab Congress leader alleged that during the election, there was a 24-hour food arrangement in a hotel, but Channi did not mention its expenses in the election campaign details.
He used to address 10-15 public meetings daily but did not mention the cost of even a single vehicle in his campaign details, the petition mentioned. The Congress leader conducted a road show in Rama Mandi without permission. Even the details of the expenses incurred on the booths set up outside the polling booths to distribute voter slips were not given. In such a situation, it becomes clear that Channi used corrupt means to win the election, the petitioner claimed.
The High Court had already issued notices to Channi and his associates. Further, fresh notices were served to all those respondents to whom the earlier notice was not given.
His election should be annulled under the Representation of the People Act, the petition demanded. The petitioner had previously complained with the Election Commission, but it yielded no results. Consequently, the petitioner has now sought relief from the High Court through an election petition.