BJP MLA Devender Attri Faces Challenge from Congress Candidate Brijender Singh Over 32-Vote Margin in 2024 Haryana Assembly Polls
CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday heard a significant case regarding the recounting of votes for the Uchana Assembly seat in Haryana’s Jind district from the 2024 elections. The court, presided over by Justice Anup Chitkara, reserved its verdict after hearing arguments from both sides in a petition filed by BJP MLA Devender Attri, who sought to dismiss an election petition by Congress candidate Brijender Singh.
The dispute stems from the closely contested Uchana election, where Attri narrowly defeated Singh by a margin of just 32 votes. Singh, who secured 48,936 votes against Attri’s 49,966, filed an election petition in March 2025, alleging irregularities in the counting process. He claimed that postal ballot papers, which were not scanned, should have been opened and verified through videography as per established procedure, especially since the number of rejected or canceled votes (215) exceeded the victory margin.
During Thursday’s hearing, Attri’s legal team argued that Singh’s petition, which was later amended to include additional points, lacked merit and should be dismissed. In response, Singh’s counsel countered these claims, urging the court to consider the alleged procedural lapses in the vote-counting process. After intense arguments from both sides, the court reserved its decision, with the next hearing expected to deliver a final ruling.
Singh’s petition highlighted that canceled or rejected votes, if greater than the margin of victory, require re-verification by the returning officer after counting, which he claims was not done. In the Uchana election, approximately 400 postal ballots were counted, of which 215 were rejected or canceled due to technical issues, raising questions about the integrity of the process.
However, the outcome of this case could have significant implications for the Uchana seat and set a precedent for handling similar election disputes. The court’s decision is eagerly awaited by both parties and political observers in Haryana.
