Supreme Court stays Election Commission notification for Gujarat bypoll

Ahmedabad: In a major relief for the Gujarat Congress, the Supreme Court on Monday stayed the Talala Assembly bypoll and issued notice to the Election Commission.

Bhagvanji Barad, suspended Congress MLA from Talala, had moved the Supreme Court for a stay on the bypoll after the Gujarat high court rejected his application.

The Election Commiss-ion had announced the notification for the Talala bypoll, in Gir Somnath district, on March 10.
Polling was to be held on April 23, along with the Lok Sabha elections.

Bypolls are being held on a total of five Assembly segments in Gujarat.

Mr Barad was suspended by the Gujarat Assembly Speaker as MLA on March 5 after a local court sentenced him to two years and nine months in jail in a case of mineral theft.

Mr Barad moved the Gujarat high court against the Speaker’s decision which rejected his plea.

Following his suspension, the Election Commission announced the byelection and issued the poll notification.

The high court refused to stay the notification.

The Gujarat Congress opposed the Speaker’s decision, calling it politically motivated, and held a protest in the Assembly.

It had intended to field Mr Barad, believed to be a strong leader of the Ahir community, for the Junagadh Lok Sabha seat if he got clearance from the court.
The BJP has announced Jasabhai Barad as its candidate for the Talala Assembly bypoll.

“Satyamev Jayate” tweeted Amit Chawada, Gujarat Congress chief, after the Supreme Court stayed the bypoll notification.