ORDER

Dharmadhikari, J.-This is an appeal under Section 116A of the Representation of People Act, 1951 (for short the Act ) against the judgment dated 19.11.2001 passed by the High Court of Punjab and Haryana in Election Petition No. 6 of 2000.

2. The appellant lost election to the Legislative Assembly seat for Constituency No. 52, Mewala Maharajpur by a margin of 161 votes.

3. The appellant filed an election petition seeking relief of recount of votes on the ground that serious irregularities were committed in counting of votes on electronic voting machines which were used in the above said election.

4. The main grounds urged inter alia for seeking recount of votes are non-compliance with the provisions of rules 63 and 56A of the conduct of Election Rules, 1961 (hereinafter called as Rules). It is pointed out from the record produced in the election petition that in some of the result sheets of counting, there are no signatures of counting supervisors and in some of them only names of counting agents of the candidates are mentioned but their signatures do not find place. It is also pointed out that in few result sheets, there are cuttings and over-writings.

5. Learned senior counsel a