Shimla/IBNS: The Himachal Pradesh High Court has served notice to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Kangana Ranaut after her election to the Lok Sabha from the Mandi constituency was challenged, media reports said.

Layak Ram Negi,  a resident of Kinnaur, filed the plea seeking setting aside Ranaut's election citing the petitioner's nomination papers for contesting from Mandi were wrongly rejected by the returning officer.

Negi, a former forest department employee, said he had submitted a 'no dues certificate' from his department to the returning officer along with nomination papers.

However, Negi, as he claimed, was asked to produce 'no dues certificate' from the electricity, water and telephone departments within a day.

Even when he submitted them, as Negi claims, the returning officer did not accept the certificates and had rejected his nomination papers.

Negi believes he could have emerged victorious in the elections, which was won by actress-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut by over 74,000 votes fighting against Congress' Vikramaditya Singh.

The high court has issued a notice to Kangana and asked her to file a response by August 21.