Published 13:14 IST, July 25th 2024
Kangana Ranaut’s Mandi Victory In Hot Water: Who is Challenging Her Win & Why
The court, led by Justice Jyotsna Rewal, has given Kangana Ranaut until August 21 to file her reply.

Shimla: Kangana Ranaut, Bollywood actor and newly elected BJP Lok Sabha MP from Mandi, has received a notice from the Himachal Pradesh High Court in response to a petition challenging her election. The court, led by Justice Jyotsna Rewal, has given Ranaut until August 21 to file her reply.
Grounds for the Challenge
The petition was filed by Layak Ram Negi, a resident of Kinnaur and former government employee. Negi seeks to overturn Ranaut’s election result, claiming that his nomination papers were unjustly rejected by the returning officer (Deputy Commissioner, Mandi). The petition also names the returning officer as a party to the case.
Negi alleges that his nomination papers were improperly dismissed after he was given insufficient time to provide additional documentation, despite having submitted a “no dues certificate” from his former employer, the forest department. He argues that he would have had a viable chance of winning if his nomination had been accepted.
Who is Layak Ram Negi
Layak Ram Negi, a former forest department employee, contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate. He submitted his nomination papers on May 14 and provided the required documents on May 15. However, his papers were rejected on grounds that he failed to provide additional “no dues certificates” from other departments within the time frame specified by the returning officer.
Kangana Ranaut’s Election Victory
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Kangana Ranaut secured victory in the Mandi constituency with a margin of 74,755 votes. She garnered a total of 5,37,002 votes, defeating her rival Congress candidate Vikramaditya Singh, who received 4,62,267 votes.
Updated 13:14 IST, July 25th 2024