CALGARY—Calgary-Greenway MLA Prab Gill has resigned as deputy whip for the United Conservative Party over his alleged involvement in voting “irregularities” at a recent constituency meeting.

The UCP enlisted a retired judge earlier this month to investigate credible allegations of voting “irregularities” at the founding annual general meeting of the party’s Calgary-North East constituency association.

“The allegations involved him (Gill),” Christine Myatt, executive director of strategic communications for the UCP caucus, told StarMetro.

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Myatt was unable to elaborate on the nature of the allegations and directed StarMetro to party executive director Janice Harrington, who declined to comment until an independent inquiry into the matter is complete.

Gill could not immediately be reached for comment.

Allegations of ballot-stuffing and improper handling of votes emerged after a video posted to YouTube and circulated on social media showed party members arguing over the handling of ballot boxes during the June 30 AGM vote.

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UCP investigating allegations of ballot-stuffing at Calgary constituency meeting

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The AGM was meant to establish a president, secretary, chief financial officer and up to 27 directors for the party’s constituency association in the new northeast riding.

Constituency associations are volunteer organizations endorsed by parties or MLAs. They typically handle fundraising, or collecting and reporting campaign contributions.

The party immediately suspended the meeting and voided the results of the vote after the controversy erupted. Ted Carruthers, a retired judge and former president of the Progressive Conservative party, was enlisted to conduct an independent investigation.

Myatt said Gill voluntarily stepped aside to “maintain the integrity” of the investigation.

“He stepped aside for the duration (of the investigation) and we’ll obviously see what the outcome is,” she said.

Grant Hunter, MLA for Cardston-Taber-Warner, has assumed the role of deputy party whip.

Gill, a former property appraiser, won the northeast riding for the Progressive Conservatives in a 2016 byelection triggered by the untimely death of PC MLA Manmeet Bhullar in the fall of 2015.

Carruthers’s investigation into the allegations of ballot-stuffing is expected to wrap up as early as next week, Harrington said in an email.