SEC seeks BMC chief’s report on AAP complaint against BJP

State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare said that the SEC had called for a report from BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani on this

MUMBAI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has complained to the Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) about BJP MLA Rahul Narwekar, accusing him of “hijacking and misusing the election machinery in Colaba” to prevent AAP candidate Margaret Da Costa from filing her nomination despite being present in the premises of the returning officer (RO) well before the deadline. State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare said that the SEC had called for a report from BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani on this.

SEC seeks BMC chief’s report on AAP complaint against BJP

Mumbai AAP president Preeti Sharma Menon said that the RO acted “illegally at the behest of Rahul Narwekar”. “Our Ward No 227 candidate, Margaret Da Costa, who is a senior citizen from the minority community, was not allowed to file her nomination,” she said. “In what capacity was Rahul Narwekar allowed to instruct the RO to ignore due process? All of this can be validated by CCTV footage.”

According to Sharma Menon, as per the law, all people in the premises had to be given a token and their forms had to be collected by the RO and processed. “They have to be then called to the RO’s chambers one by one with a formal announcement, after which each form is taken up separately for submission. This was not followed,” she claimed.

The AAP Mumbai president said that Da Costa had paid the fees of ₹2,500 and was specifically asked to wait. “Her form and affidavit were checked and she was waiting patiently to be called inside the RO’s office,” she said. “But eventually her nomination could not be filed.”

Sharma Menon added, “The RO is a functionary of the SEC and has to act as per the law. The SEC has the constitutional mandate to carry out free and fair elections but the RO acted at the behest of the BJP. Rahul Narwekar has committed this brazen illegality of not following due process. We have formally complained to the SEC and will follow this through.”

Narwekar chose to rubbish the charges and congratulate the SEC instead. “I was at the nomination centre to support the BJP candidates and did not violate any rules,” he said. “I compliment the SEC for making excellent arrangements for filing nominations. It has provided all assistance to the candidates. Those who have faith in democracy do not cast aspersions on constitutional institutions.”

Makarand Narwekar, the BJP candidate from Ward No 226, said that AAP’s charges against his brother were “baseless” and “untrue”. “It’s unfortunate that a candidate who didn’t get support from her party in filing the nomination papers is accusing other political parties of interference in the process. We trust the process and believe in fighting elections democratically.”