Independent candidate loses by single vote

Shiv Nath Singh, an Independent candidate and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) rebel, lost by a margin of just one vote in the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation elections from Ward No. 48, which falls under the Jalandhar West Assembly segment.

Singh, also known as Shibu Lahoria, received 1,103 votes while AAP’s Harjinder S Ladda secured 1,104. Devastated by the narrow defeat, Singh demanded a recount and refused to leave the counting centre for hours, alleging discrepancies in the vote tally.

He pointed to a specific booth, Booth No. 5, where he claimed his votes were drastically undercounted. “I was winning by over 100 votes until the final round, but the count at Booth No. 5 showed just 27 votes instead of the expected 83,” Singh said. He also expressed doubts about possible foul play. Singh, who was initially given an AAP ticket, contested independently after Ladda was nominated in his place. He now plans to appeal to the Punjab and Haryana High Court.