Dismissing the contention that the Jarman had been motivated not by religious considerations but by a personal grievance, the High Court held that "Motive in such circumstances is wholly immaterial". It observed:
If the influence exercised by the religious and spiritual head has the effect of creating in the minds of the voters a feeling of divine displeasure or spiritual censure then, whatever the motive, the influence would amount to undue influence. The contents of the poster ... unequivocally establish the mandatory nature of the command. Religious sanction is ... implicit in it... on reasonable construction of its contents, it must be held that Maharaj Pratap Singh intended to convey to his followers who are mostly illiterate, ignorant, credulous and unsophiscated villagers, having blind and implicit faith in their religious head that if they did not vote for Ram Dial, they would incur divine displeasure and spiritual censure with this class of villagers the displeasure of the religious head is usually associated with divine displeasure".
Finally, the case came III appeal before the Supreme Court. Affirming the decision of the Punjab High Court…show more content… In Gurnam Singh v. Pratap Singh, the contention before the Ludhiana Election Tribunal was that the respondent by publishing posters with the following words caused spiritual undue influence:
(1) Apnian parichan, panthakumaidwar nun pa ke "Guru Kalgi Dhardhian Khushianprapat Karo... " (By casting your votes in favour of Panthik candidates, have the pleasure of Guru Kalgi Dhar (Guru Gobind