Recently, the Delhi High Court issued notice on a plea challenging the election of BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Parvesh Verma from the New Delhi constituency in the recent Assembly polls. The Court sought responses from the Election Commission of India (ECI), the Returning Officer, Verma, and other contesting candidates. It observed that the allegations raised concerns about the fairness of the electoral process.
The petition, filed by Vishvanath Agarwal, seeks to nullify Verma’s election and calls for a fresh poll in the constituency. Verma had secured 30,088 votes, defeating AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal by a margin of 4,089 votes. The plea also includes 23 other candidates who contested the election, including Kejriwal, as respondents.
The petitioner alleged that he was unlawfully prevented from filing his nomination before the 3 PM deadline despite having all requisite documents. He claimed that this exclusion violated his electoral rights and deprived him of the opportunity to contest.
During the hearing, Justice Jasmeet Singh remarked on the significance of upholding the integrity of the electoral process. Issuing notice, the Court directed the ECI and the Returning Officer to file their responses. It noted the importance of addressing the petitioner’s grievance to ensure transparency in elections.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on May 27, with the Court set to examine the responses before deciding on the next course of action.
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