A dramatic political and legal saga in Haryana has reached a critical juncture as the Supreme Court has dismissed a plea by BJP MLA Devender Attri seeking to halt a vote recount in the Uchana Kalan Assembly constituency. This decision marks a significant development in a case stemming from the 2024 Vidhan Sabha elections, where Attri secured victory by a razor-thin margin of just 32 votes over Congress candidate Brijendra Singh, sparking a contentious courtroom battle.
The Narrow Victory and Legal Challenge
In the October 2024 elections, Devender Attri, contesting on a BJP ticket, polled 48,968 votes in Uchana Kalan, while Brijendra Singh of the Congress received 48,935 votes. This minuscule difference of 32 votes represents the narrowest victory margin recorded across all 90 Assembly constituencies in Haryana during that election. Dissatisfied with the outcome, Singh promptly challenged the result, alleging serious irregularities in the vote-counting process, particularly concerning postal ballots.
Courtroom Proceedings and Key Arguments
Brijendra Singh moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court in March 2025, arguing that the election result was compromised due to improper handling of postal ballots. His primary claim centered on 150 postal votes that were cancelled because scanners failed to read barcodes on ballot envelopes. Singh contended that election rules mandate a procedure for such cases, including manual verification of unscanned envelopes, which he alleged was not followed.
With the winning margin standing at a mere 32 votes, Singh emphasized that the failure to scrutinize the 150 rejected ballots undermined the legitimacy of the outcome. The high court began hearing the petition in July 2025, during which Attri's counsel raised objections regarding the maintainability of the petition. Notably, the court questioned why Attri appeared "so afraid" of a recount, prompting Attri to file 10 formal objections.
In September 2025, the high court rejected Attri's plea to stop the recounting process, framed issues in the case, and summoned the returning officer. Singh personally appeared in court, reiterating his allegations about the unverified postal ballots.
Supreme Court Intervention and Dismissal
Seeking to halt the proceedings, Devender Attri approached the Supreme Court in February 2026, filing a Special Leave Petition (SLP) to stay the high court hearings and prevent any recounting of votes. However, the apex court has now dismissed Attri's petition, clearing the way for the Punjab and Haryana High Court to continue hearing the matter. This decision represents a setback for the sitting MLA and advances Singh's quest for a recount.
Profiles of the Contenders
Devender Attri, the 45-year-old sitting MLA from Uchana Kalan, hails from a political family. His father, Chaturbhuj Attri, was associated with the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD). Attri began his political journey with INLD, later joined the Dushyant Chautala-led Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), and switched to the BJP in 2019. Contesting on a BJP ticket in 2024, he won the seat, which is traditionally seen as a stronghold of the Chautala clan and the family of former Union minister Birender Singh.
Brijendra Singh is a former IAS officer-turned-politician with an illustrious background. The son of Birender Singh and former MLA Premlata Singh, he also traces his lineage to Sir Chhotu Ram. Academically accomplished, Singh studied at St Stephen's College, JNU, and King's College London, before securing All-India Rank 9 in the Civil Services Examination in 1998. He served over 21 years in the IAS, holding key posts such as deputy commissioner of Faridabad and Chandigarh, before entering politics. Singh won the Hisar Lok Sabha seat in 2019 on a BJP ticket, resigned from the party in March 2024, joined the Congress, and contested the Uchana Kalan Assembly seat, losing by 32 votes. He currently serves as vice-chairman of the Congress foreign affairs department and remains politically active in Haryana.
Political Context and Implications
The Uchana Kalan constituency holds symbolic political significance due to its association with prominent political families in Haryana. In the 2024 elections, senior JJP leader and former Haryana deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala finished a distant fifth with 7,950 votes, highlighting the intense competition between the BJP and Congress in this region. The legal battle over the 32-vote margin underscores the high stakes involved in closely contested elections and the role of judicial scrutiny in ensuring electoral integrity.
As the case proceeds in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the outcome could have far-reaching implications for future election disputes in Haryana and beyond. The Supreme Court's dismissal of Attri's plea reinforces the judiciary's role in adjudicating such matters, potentially setting a precedent for handling narrow victory margins and allegations of counting irregularities.
