Surrey–Guildford Conservative candidate withdraws court challenge over narrow election loss

The B.C. Conservative candidate who narrowly lost the Surrey–Guildford riding in last year’s provincial election has withdrawn his legal challenge of the results, ending a court case that centred on alleged voting irregularities.

Honveer Singh Randhawa, who was defeated by 22 votes, said Tuesday he has decided to drop his petition before the B.C. Supreme Court. In a written statement, Randhawa said his legal action had already led to what he described as a material outcome after the province’s chief electoral officer acknowledged that some violations had occurred.

In his original filing, Randhawa alleged that non-residents of the riding cast ballots, that some individuals voted more than once, and that residents of a seniors care home voted by mail without being aware an election was taking place. He said members of his team later interviewed seniors at the care home but found them anxious and stressed about the prospect of testifying in court.

Randhawa said he did not want to put vulnerable seniors through a distressing legal process and decided to withdraw the case for that reason. He added that Elections BC had paused its review of his complaint while the court challenge was underway and he is now asking the agency to resume that review.

The former candidate is also calling on Elections BC to reconsider its 30-day deadline for filing post-election complaints, arguing the rule is outdated. In his statement, Randhawa said alleged violations should be examined regardless of when concerns are raised, noting that timing rules should not diminish the seriousness of potential breaches.

The Surrey–Guildford race was one of the closest contests in the provincial election and has drawn attention to election oversight and complaint processes in British Columbia, particularly in fast-growing urban ridings like Surrey.