package sudo 1.8.9p5-1ubuntu1.1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1

[kaushik]

upon booting the system this error is occuring

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: sudo 1.8.9p5-1ubuntu1.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.19.0-37.42~14.04.1-generic 3.19.8-ckt9
Uname: Linux 3.19.0-37-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.11
AptOrdering:
 ubuntu-minimal: Remove
 sudo: Remove
Architecture: amd64
Date: Thu Dec 17 19:03:18 2015
DuplicateSignature: package:sudo:1.8.9p5-1ubuntu1.1:subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-12-02 (16 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04.3 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Beta amd64 (20150805)
SourcePackage: sudo
Title: package sudo 1.8.9p5-1ubuntu1.1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
VisudoCheck:
 /etc/sudoers: parsed OK
 /etc/sudoers.d/README: parsed OK