HC fixes date for examination of PWs
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 24 2025: While hearing an election petition filed by Md Fajur Rahim against MLA Usham Deben Singh, the High Court of Manipur has rejected the petitioner's request to introduce new materials on record, and fixed October 10 for further examination of prosecution witnesses.

Through an application, the petitioner, Md Fajur Rahim had sought the permission of the Court to amend and correct "typographical errors" in the election petition filed in 2022.The election petition was filed seeking the Court to declare the election of Usham Deben Singh in the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly null and void.

The Court of Justice A Guneshwar Sharma, during the hearing today, observed that the nature of proposed amendments is for changing the polling station numbers and changing the surnames of the voters mentioned in the election petition.

It opined that the proposed amendments cannot be treated as mere typographical mistakes.

The proposed amendments are new material facts sought to be brought into the election petition and that too after 2 and 1/2 years of filing the election petition.

The same cannot be done after a lapse of 45 days.

Therefore, the application is dismissed with a cost of Rs 10,000 to be deposited with the High Court Bar Association of Manipur for relief purposes within a period of 30 days, said the Court.

The Court then fixed October 10 for further examination of prosecution witnesses.

While the Court didn't allow the "amendment" sought, it however, allowed a separate application filed by the petitioner to submit on the record certified copies of documents already submitted with the original election petition.

The certified copies are intended to authenticate the photocopies of documents already on record and the same can be filed beyond 45 days, as they do not introduce any new material facts, the Court observed.

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