HARJIT SINGH MANN vs S. UMRAO SINGH AND OTHERS

The Supreme Court upheld the rejection of the appellant's nomination paper under Section 36(4) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, affirming that a delay of 10 minutes in filing the nomination was a defect of substantial character. The Court emphasized that the mandatory requirement for timely submission of nomination papers is crucial for maintaining electoral integrity, and the Returning Officer is obligated to reject late submissions. Additionally, the Court found that the appellant failed to prove he had made the required oath before the Returning Officer, thus affirming the High Court's dismissal of his petition.