Face trial for alleged wrongdoing in 2009 elections, SC tells Navjot Sidhu

Sidhu had earlier appealed against the Punjab and Haryana High Court's order asking him to face trial.

New Delhi: Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Navjot Singh Sidhu has been asked by the Supreme Court to face trial in connection with allegations of wrongdoing in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections.

According to reports, Sidhu had earlier appealed against the Punjab and Haryana High Court's order asking him to face trial.

In 2009, Sidhu had won from Amritsar on a BJP ticket. Sidhu’s rival candidate, a member of the Congress party, had alleged that he had violated the poll expenditure cap of Rs 25 lakhs. He also alleged that he had 11 officers transferred.

However, providing partial relief to the cricketer-turned politician who recently quit BJP, the apex court said trial will go on in Punjab and Haryana HC against Sidhu on only one charge – that of appointing officers of his choice in his constituency during the elections.