BC Conservative candidate Honveer Singh Randhawa has filed an amended petition in the Supreme Court of British Columbia alleging "substantial irregularities and violations of the Election Act" in the riding of Surrey-Guildford.A recount following the 2024 contest found that Randhawa lost to the BC NDP's Garry Begg by just 22 votes.In his petition, Randhawa alleged that a number of individuals had engaged in "voter intimidation, undue influence, and unauthorized use of mail-in ballots," and that votes were cast by non-residents improperly registered in the riding..At the centre of the controversy is the Argyll Lodge, a 25-bed addiction and substance abuse recovery facility in Surrey whose owner donated to the BC NDP. Despite being located just 80 metres from the nearest polling station, Guildford Park Secondary School, a number of mail-in ballots were cast, allegedly by residents.Randhawa alleged that the mail-in ballots were "unlawfully requested and cast by staff members" and that vulnerable members of the lodge were "subjected to undue influence and coercion during voting."He claimed that residents of the lodge did not even understand that they were taking part in an election, let alone make an informed choice about who they voted for, and that there were no election officials present to ensure the process was respected.."These are deeply concerning allegations that go to the heart of electoral integrity and democracy in British Columbia," lawyer Sunny Uppal said. "The irregularities identified necessitate urgent and thorough examination to ensure fairness and public confidence in our electoral processes."Randhawa made it clear that "voters in Surrey-Guildford deserve transparency and accountability.""This isn’t about politics," he added. "It's about upholding the democratic rights of every voter and ensuring elections are conducted lawfully and transparently."Via the petition, Randhawa hopes to have Begg's victory declared invalid. If that happens, a new election will be held.
