- (1.) This is an appeal against the judgment and order of the High Court at Allahabad dated 12th April, 1968, dismissing the election petition filed by the appellant.
(2.) The appellant contested the General Election to the Lok Sabha from Hapur Parliamentary Constituency in the year 1967. There were seven rival candidates numbered respondents 1 to 7. The appellant contested the election on the ticket of the Republican Party. He was then a sitting member of Parliament. Among the rival candidates, Prakash Vir Shastri was an independent candidate. The election symbol of the appellant was elephant and the election symbol of Prakash Vir Shastri was lion. Prakash Vir Shastri secured 1,49,943 votes while the appellant secured 1,01,875 votes. The Swatantra candidate Sri Naseem secured 34,274 votes. The Congress candidate respondent Smt. Kamla Chaudhury secured 33,988 votes. The appellant challenged the election on ground of corrupt practices as mentioned in sub-sections (2), (3) and (4) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (hereinafter referred to as the Act).
(3.) At the hearing of the appeal the appellant appeared in person after counsel on his behalf had obtained leave of this Court to withdraw and to allow the appellant to appear in person.;