New Delhi, February 28
The Supreme Court today admitted a petition against Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, challenging his election to state Assembly from Patiala in 2002 on the ground of alleged corrupt practices and obtaining the services of two senior officers to ensure his victory.

Issuing notice to Mr Amarinder Singh on a special leave petition (SLP) against the Punjab and Haryana High Court order rejecting the “statutory” election petition filed by Harkirat Singh, a voter from Patiala city, a Bench of Mr Justice P.V. Reddi and Mr Justice A.K. Mathur sought clarifications from the petitioner’s counsel before admitting it.

The court specifically asked whether it was a “statutory” petition, to which Harkirat Singh’s counsel P S Mishra replied in the affirmative, saying that it was filed under the provisions of Representation of the People’s Act.

The Bench was not much impressed with the issues raised in the petition and observed “the facts of the matter are not very much satisfactory.”

Mr Mishra said since it was a “statutory” petition, the court had to admit it and go into the facts of the case, which the High Court had “failed” to do.

In his eight-point petition, Harkirat Singh has sought quashing of the election of Amarinder Singh for alleged corrupt practice, contending that the High Court had considered only two of the eight issues.

“The impugned judgement of the High Court is contrary to the letter and spirit of the law and is liable to be set aside,” the SLP said.

The petitioner alleged that Amarinder Singh had taken the services of the then Patiala SP Gurnam SIngh Mehra, who had helped in “distributing” posters in the constituency on his behalf and “organised” his public meetings.

The SP had publicly praised Amarinder Singh by describing him as “garibon ka masiha (an helper of poor) as well as his wife Perneet Kaur, which was against the code of conduct for officers, the SLP said.

Mr Amarinder Singh also had utilised the services of senior officer Bharat Inder Singh Chahal, who then was a Joint Director, Information and Public Relations and had “convassed” in favour of him, the petitioner claimed.

Soon after being sworn-in as Chief Minister on February 27, 2002, Mr Amarinder Singh had rewarded Mr Chahal by appointing him his “adviser” by an order issued the very next day.