Daljit Singh fails in Super City bid

Daljit Singh in court on October 5. Photo / Richard Robinson

Daljit Singh, the Labour Party candidate charged with forging voting documents, has failed to win a place in the Super City.

He was unsuccessful in his bid for one of four seats on the Papatoetoe subdivision of the Otara-Papatoetoe Local Board.

He was last week arrested and charged with forgery surrounding the elections. Another man was also jointly charged.

Mr Singh, who only had name suppression lifted yesterday, has denied any wrongdoing and is confident of having his name cleared.

He said he was happy with the outcome - he came seventh - and congratulated the successful four candidates.

None of the four Indian candidates in the Papatoetoe subdivision won a seat.

Mr Singh told Newstalk ZB that he accepted the tenet of freedom of speech but wanted to defend himself and that he was innocent until proven guilty.

For the time being, he will retain his status of Justice of the Peace.

Asked if thought the alleged voting scam contributed to the results for Indian candidates, he said: "I don't think so."

But one of the Indian candidates, Citizens & Ratepayers' Narinder Singla, said the alleged scam tarnished the image of the Indian candidates.

"The people did not know who was behind this scam...we have lost a lot of votes," he said.

C&R candidate Ray Strong, one of three unsuccessful C&R candidates for the subdivision, said on Saturday that he intended to contest the result and seek a judicial inquiry.