‘Goof-up’ in Amethi winner KL Sharma’s poll affidavit for 2024 polls, picture is viral on internet

New Delhi: Kishori Lal Sharma, the recently elected Member of Parliament (MP) from Amethi Lok Sabha constituency, became the talk of town after trouncing Union Minister Smriti Irani in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The Amethi winner having earned the epithet of ‘giant slayer’ is again hitting the headlines over a goof-up in his election affidavit.

According to a viral picture, the Gandhi family loyalist’s affidavit reads, “Affidavit to be filed by the candidate along with nomination paper before the Returning Officer for election to the 17th Lok Sabha.”

Notably, the tenure of the 17th Lok Sabha came to an end with the second term of the Modi government and the 2024 election was held to elect 543 members of the 18th Lok Sabha.

Sharma’s candidature as Congress candidate from Amethi LS seat was finalised at the eleventh hour as the party dithered over the choice of nominees and zeroed in on the family loyalist rather than fielding Priyanka from the seat, as anticipated.

The wrong reference to the 17th Lok Sabha elections in KL Sharma’s poll affidavit may also spell trouble for him if he is found to have deviated from the established practices of the Election Commission.

A candidate files his nomination papers along with affidavits based on the checklist furnished by EC officials and is further vetted by the Returning Officers. If serious flaws are spotted in any candidate’s affidavit, his/her nomination also gets cancelled.

Given the importance of the prestige seat in light of KL Sharma’s victory over Smriti Irani, questions are being raised about whether the Election Commission take cognisance of it or will the latter will take legal recourse after the revelations.