Kuldeep Chand Vs State of Hp and Others — Himachal Pradesh HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

Kuldeep Chand Vs State of Hp and Others — Himachal Pradesh HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Writ petition disposed of as infructuous after the petitioner's grievance (deprivation of his vote owing to election duty at GSSS Dhangota) was redressed through the interim arrangement of 27.05.2026 permitting him to join duty by 12:00 noon on 28.05.2026, after casting his vote at VPO Harsour, subject to a formal written request to respondent No. 5; pending application(s), if any, also stand disposed of.

Issue for consideration

Whether the petitioner, having been assigned election duty at GSSS Dhangota under office order dated 22.05.2026, would be deprived of casting his vote on 28.05.2026 at VPO Harsour in the ensuing general election to the Panchayti Raj Institutions in Himachal Pradesh.

Court's answer

Accepting the proposal of learned counsel for respondent No. 6, the Court ordered that, subject to the petitioner making a formal written request to respondent No. 5, he would be permitted to join his election duty at GSSS Dhangota by 12:00 noon instead of 07:00 a.m. on 28.05.2026, so as to enable him to cast his vote.

Ratio / Principle

The petitioner was required to join the station of his election duty by 12:00 noon on 28.05.2026 in any eventuality, and no further deviation was to be allowed.

Key takeaways

As the petitioner's grievance had been redressed pursuant to the above directions, the writ petition stood rendered infructuous and was disposed of accordingly.ratio¶22

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Election duty vs franchise — Himachal Pradesh High Court disposes of writ petition as infructuous after interim arrangement: Kuldeep Chand, assigned election duty at GSSS Dhangota under office order dated 22.05.2026, complained that he would be deprived of casting his vote on 28.05.2026 at VPO Harsour in the ensuing general election to the Panchayti Raj Institutions. By order dated 27.05.2026 the Court, accepting the proposal of learned counsel for respondent No. 6 given on instructions, permitted the petitioner to join his duty at GSSS Dhangota by 12:00 noon instead of 07:00 a.m. on 28.05.2026, subject to his making a formal written request to respondent No. 5, while requiring him to join the duty station by 12:00 noon in any eventuality with no further deviation allowed. The grievance having been redressed pursuant to these directions, the writ petition was rendered infructuous and disposed of on 02.06.2026 (Jyotsna Rewal Dua, Judge); pending application(s), if any, also disposed of.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA CWP No.8633 of 2026 Decided on: 02.06.2026

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kuldeep Chand …..Petitioner

Versus

The State of H.P. and Ors ....Respondents

Coram

Ms. Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua

Whether approved for reporting?¹

For the Petitioner: Mr. Amrit, Advocate, vice Mr. Tarun K Sharma, Advocate.

For the Respondents: Mr. Anup Rattan, Advocate General with Mr. L.N.Sharma, Additional Advocate General for respondents No. 1 to 5.

Mr. Surender Sharma, Advocate, for respondent No.6.

Jyotsna Rewal Dua, Judge

The order passed in this matter on 27.05.2026,

noticed the grievance of the petitioner as under:-

“Notice. Ms. Menka Raj Chauhan, learned Deputy Advocate General and Mr. Surender Sharma, learned Counsel appears and accept service on behalf of respondents No. 1 to 5 and respondent No. 6 respectively.

A grievance has been raised that in view of petitioner having been assigned election duty at GSSS

1 Whether reporters of print and electronic media may be allowed to see the order? Yes.

2

Dhangota under office order dated 22.05.2026, he would be deprived from casting his vote tomorrow i.e. 28.05.2026 at VPO Harsour in the ensuing general election to the Panchayti Raj Institutions in the State of Himachal Pradesh.

Learned counsel for respondent No. 6 on the basis of instructions imparted to him submits that subject to petitioner making a formal written request to respondent No. 5, he would be permitted to join his duty at GSSS Dhangota by 12:00 noon instead of 07.00 a.m. on 28.05.2026. That this special arrangement is being made keeping in view the distance where petitioner is to discharge his election duty and the place where he is to cast his vote. The Petitioner will have to join at the station of his election duty by 12:00 noon in any eventuality. No further deviation shall be allowed. The above proposal is acceptable to the learned counsel for the petitioner. Ordered accordingly.

List on 02.06.2026.”

2. Learned vice counsel for the petitioner submits

that pursuant to above directions, grievance of the petitioner has now been redressed and this writ petition has been rendered infructuous. Accordingly, the present writ petition to stand disposed of.

Pending application(s), if any, also to stand

disposed of.

Jyotsna Rewal Dua Judge

June 2, 2026 R.Atal