In a relief to Gujarat Education and Law Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, the Supreme Court on Friday stayed a Gujarat High Court order cancelling Chudasama’s 2017 election as an MLA on grounds of malpractice and vote manipulation.
According to the reports, a Supreme Court bench headed by Justice MM Shantanagouder setting aside the Gujarat HC order issued a notice to the Election Commission and Congress candidate Ashwin Rathod.
The apex court was hearing the appeal filed by BJP leader Chudasama against the Gujarat High Court order of May 12.
Senior advocates Harish Salve and NK Kaul represented Chudasama while the rival Congress candidate was represented by senior advocate Kapil Sibal.
On May 12, the Gujarat High Court had invalidated the victory of minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasma from the Dholka Constituency in 2017 assembly elections after a petition was filed by Ashwin Rathod, the Congress candidate in that election. The High Court had declared the election victory as void and illegal on the grounds of manipulation and malpractice.
Allegations of corrupt electoral practices
Bhupendrasinh Chudasma is handling Minister of Education, Law and Justice portfolio of Vijayrupani led Gujarat government. He won the Dholka assembly constituency with a thin margin of 327 that was challenged by his rival Congress candidate Ashwin Rathod.
In his petition, Ashwin Rathod had alleged that the returning officer and the Deputy Collector of Dholka had indulged in manipulation during the counting process and had cancelled 429 postal ballots.
