Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh High Court has dismissed the election petition filed by Congress leader and former minister Ram Lal Thakur challenging the election of BJP MLA and party chief spokesperson Randhir Sharma from the Sri Naina Devi Ji Assembly constituency, bringing the legal challenge to the 2022 election result to an end.
Justice Sandeep Sharma dismissed Election Petition No. 1 of 2022 on August 18, 2026. The petition was dismissed after the Court found that the affidavit filed by the petitioner did not comply with the prescribed statutory format and earlier directions of the Court. The September 26, 2025, order had required the petitioner to file an affidavit in accordance with the prescribed format. The High Court had made it clear that non-compliance could result in dismissal of the petition.
The petition had challenged Randhir Sharma’s victory from the Sri Naina Devi Ji Assembly constituency in the 2022 Assembly elections. Thakur had raised issues concerning vote counting, postal ballots and alleged corrupt practices. The Assembly elections were held on November 12, 2022, and counting took place on December 8, 2022.
During the proceedings, Randhir Sharma raised objections regarding alleged deficiencies in the election petition, particularly concerning compliance with Section 83(1) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, Rule 94A of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, and the requirement of filing an affidavit in the prescribed Form 25. The High Court had earlier examined these issues and granted the petitioner an opportunity to cure the defect by filing a fresh affidavit.
A fresh affidavit was subsequently filed, but Randhir Sharma again objected, contending that it did not comply with the Court’s directions or the statutory requirements. At the final hearing, the Court examined the prescribed Form 25 and the affidavit submitted by the petitioner and concluded that the mandatory requirements had not been met.
The Court also noted inconsistencies in the verification of the affidavit, with certain statements being described as true to the petitioner’s knowledge and others as true to his information. It further observed that the September 26, 2025, order had not been challenged and had attained finality.
On this basis, the High Court dismissed the election petition and disposed of all pending applications. The decision brings an end to the challenge against Randhir Sharma’s election from the Sri Naina Devi Ji constituency.
The BJP said the verdict demonstrated that the statutory requirements and the Court’s directions for maintaining the election petition had not been complied with. The party reiterated that election disputes are resolved through legal and constitutional processes and expressed respect for the judiciary and constitutional institutions.
