INDORE:
Madhya Pradesh high court
dismissed on Tuesday a plea by
Congress
’s
Moti Singh Patel
for his candidature to be accepted as the party nominee for
Lok Sabha elections
after official candidate
Akshay Kanti Bam
pulled out and joined BJP on Monday.
The district election office had
rejected
Patel’s candidature during scrutiny on April 25. Bam’s papers were cleared but he suddenly pulled out on Monday, the last day for
withdrawal
of nominations.
A stunned Congress was left with no candidate in Indore Lok Sabha constituency for the first time ever.
On Tuesday, Patel moved high court seeking to overturn the rejection of his
nomination
and to be allotted Congress’s “hand” symbol to contest.
Arguing for Patel before Justice Vivek Rusia, counsel Vibhor Khandelwal submitted that since Bam withdrew his candidature, Patel’s form should be scrutinised and accepted so that he can contest.
The court observed that Patel’s nomination was rejected by the returning officer, treating him as a substitute candidate, because the form of the approved candidate was accepted. The petitioner accepted the rejection then and did not raise any objection, Justice Rusia said.
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