HC notice to Ferozepur MP on plea seeking disqualification

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday issued a notice of motion to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) member of Parliament from Ferozepur Sher Singh Ghubaya on an election petition seeking his disqualification on the grounds of issuing election advertisements on television channels seeking votes in the name of religion and not declaring the exact amount spent on advertisements and election rallies.

Ghubaya has to file his reply to the high court by August 14 on a petition filed by Bhupinder Singh, a resident of Malout (Muktsar).

The petitioner has alleged that Ghubaya released the advertisements by using religious symbols, Sikh religious places and the national flag to appeal to Sikh voters of Ferozepur parliamentary constituency to vote for him in the name of religion. As per the allegations, advertisements were aired on some TV channels repeatedly during the election campaign, right from the filing of nomination papers on April 7 till the end of the campaign on April 28. It has been alleged that Ghubaya committed a corrupt practice as defined under Section 123 (3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

It has also been alleged that Ghubaya failed to show the election expenditure to the tune of Rs 17.6 lakh in the election expenses account lodged by him before the district election officer, Ferozepur. It has been submitted that Ghubaya should have shown expenditure of Rs 9.6 lakh on the election rally held at Bathinda on April 25 and also Rs 8 lakh spent on print media advertisements.