The Bombay High Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition challenging the election of Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad.
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition challenging the election of Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad. Asif Siddiqui, one of the candidates contesting against Ms Gaikwad, had challenged the election alleging electoral malpractices and procedural violations in the Congress candidate’s poll campaign.
Ms Gaikwad had contested the parliamentary election held last year from the Mumbai North-Central seat. She defeated BJP’s Ujjwal Nikam, a well-known lawyer, by a margin of 16,514 votes. She is the only Congress MP from the entire Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
Asif Siddiqui, who got only 683 votes, challenged the election. His main allegation against Ms Gaikwad was that the handbills circulated by the elected MP did not comply with the prescribed norms, which mandate the inclusion of the printer’s and publisher's names. He also alleged that money was distributed to voters in exchange for votes.
Ms Gaikwad’s lawyers opposed the petition on the ground that it lacked material evidence. The claim of bribery named only an individual — then sitting Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Zeeshan Siddiqui, who has subsequently joined the Ajit Pawar-led faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and was no more associated with Ms Gaikwad’s party.
The petitioner argued that he has video evidence of bribes given. The videos have been submitted to the police and the Election Commission of India.
After hearing both sides, justice Sharmila Deshmukh dismissed the election petition.
