Shiromani Akali Dal’s (SAD) Amandeep Singh, who had moved court against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate’s nomination papers, won the civic body polls from Samrala’s Ward 2.
The legal battle that ended in cancellation of AAP candidate Satveer Singh Sekhon’s nomination had made it one of the most closely watched contests in Samrala. The ward remained at the centre of attention throughout the election process.
Amandeep Singh polled 347 votes, comfortably defeating his nearest rival — Congress’ Gagandeep Kumar Sharma (234 votes) — by a margin of 113 votes. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominee Ravinder Kumar Sharma secured 178 votes. NOTA was picked six times and 11 votes were declared invalid.
Amandeep Singh and his team had questioned the validity of the AAP candidate’s nomination papers. The matter subsequently reached the Punjab and Haryana High Court, following which Sekhon’s nomination was cancelled.
The legal dispute sparked intense debate in Samrala, with leaders and workers of various political parties closely monitoring the developments. The case was among the most discussed issues during the election campaign.
Political observers see the outcome as a major political victory for the SAD. Party workers celebrated the victory, describing it as a triumph of “persistence and legal accountability”.
