Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): The nomination process for Punjab’s sole Rajya Sabha seat has taken a dramatic turn, with multiple Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators filing police complaints against Janata Party national president Navneet Chaturvedi. The FIRs allege that Chaturvedi forged the signatures of ten AAP MLAs on his nomination papers, which he submitted as an independent candidate.
According to officials, the Punjab Police acted after receiving formal complaints from several sitting MLAs who claimed that their names and signatures were misused without consent. A government statement confirmed that FIRs had been lodged in various constituencies but withheld details about the complainants and the exact number of cases.
Police sources said that the disputed nomination papers included a handwritten list of AAP lawmakers, purportedly bearing their signatures as proposers. The alleged forged document, now circulating on social media, was attached to Chaturvedi’s second set of nomination papers filed on October 13. His first submission, made on October 6, reportedly contained only the names of the MLAs without signatures.
Describing the incident as “a deliberate attempt to mislead constitutional authorities,” the Punjab Police said the case involves “serious offences” such as forgery, cheating, and criminal conspiracy. Officials added that the authenticity of Chaturvedi’s nomination papers would be verified during the scrutiny process before the returning officer on Tuesday.
Chaturvedi Denies Allegations, Calls FIRs Politically Motivated
In response, Navneet Chaturvedi issued a detailed statement accusing the Punjab government and AAP leadership of misusing state machinery to suppress him. He argued that the matter falls solely under the jurisdiction of the Election Commission of India (ECI), not the local police or state government.
“The returning officer is a custodian of documents submitted to the Election Commission, but these papers were leaked to the AAP leadership,” Chaturvedi alleged. He maintained that no forgery had occurred and that “the signatures were genuine and made by the respective MLAs.”
Claiming to have the backing of “around 68 MLAs who are not with the AAP government,” Chaturvedi asserted that he would secure votes if an actual ballot took place. He described the FIRs as an “attempt to silence dissent and avoid voting in the Rajya Sabha election.”
He further stated, “The first nomination I filed on October 6 only contained names, not signatures. Mentioning names is not a criminal act. The allegations are false, politically motivated, and filed without jurisdiction.”
Chaturvedi added that he plans to file a complaint with the Election Commission against what he described as “unethical conduct” by the office of the returning officer. “If there is any genuine grievance, it should be raised during the scrutiny process, not through FIRs,” he said, reaffirming his intention to appear before the assembly on October 14.
AAP’s Candidate and the Political Context
The controversy erupted just days before the scheduled Rajya Sabha election, where industrialist Rajinder Gupta is AAP’s official nominee. With the party commanding a comfortable majority of 93 MLAs in the Punjab Assembly, Gupta’s victory is almost assured unless major cross-voting occurs.
Chaturvedi, however, has framed his candidacy as a symbolic campaign to “restore democratic practices” and challenge the tradition of unopposed Rajya Sabha elections. “Even if I lose, I want to ensure that MLAs get the right to vote freely instead of being bound by party dictates,” he said earlier this week.
He also justified filing two nominations, saying the first was a “tactical move” to prevent pressure on potential supporters. “Had I revealed the names earlier, the MLAs could have been coerced by the party leadership,” he claimed.
Legal and Political Repercussions
Legal experts say the allegations, if proven, could lead to serious criminal charges, including forgery of election documents—a punishable offence under the Indian Penal Code. However, they also point out that the ECI, not the state police, is the primary authority to adjudicate disputes related to election nominations.
The incident has deepened political tensions in Punjab, with AAP leaders calling the alleged forgery “an attempt to undermine the sanctity of democratic institutions.” Meanwhile, opposition parties have remained cautious, awaiting the Election Commission’s next steps.
As scrutiny of the nomination papers begins Tuesday, all eyes will be on whether Chaturvedi’s documents withstand official examination—or become the center of a prolonged political and legal battle in Punjab’s corridors of power.
