E-Paper
Manipur high court serves notices to BJP minister, MLA over election petitions
The Congress candidate from Thongju assembly constituency filed the election petition against minister Th Biswajit while the National People’s Party (NPP) candidate from Lamshang filed the petition against MLA S Rajen Singh.
IMPHAL: The high court of Manipur has served separate notices to power minister Thongam Biswajit Singh and MLA Sorokhaibam Rajen Singh in connection with two different election petitions filed against them. The notices are said to be returnable on May 16 and May 25 respectively.
Seram Neken, a Congress candidate from Thongju assembly constituency in the recently concluded 12th assembly elections filed the election petition against minister Th Biswajit while National People’s Party (NPP) candidate Pukhrambam Sumati who contested from Lamshang filed the petition against MLA S Rajen Singh.
Both the election petitions were filed under the representation of the People’s Act.
In his petition, Congress candidate Neken challenged the election of Biswajit as member of 12th assembly from Thongju, on the grounds of improper acceptance of his nomination by the Returning officer.
According to the petition, Biswajit failed to mention his full address and also failed to mention a pending criminal FIR case in column number 5 of the affidavit dated February 5, 2022, accompanying his nomination.
The petitioner prayed for declaring the election of Biswajit as void and declaring the petitioner as the winner of the 12th Manipur assembly election. After hearing the submission of the petitioner’s counsel, the high court of Manipur issued notice to Biswajit returnable on or before May 16.
Similarly, in her election petition, NPP candidate Sumati also challenged the election of the MLA S Rajen from Lamshang on the grounds of improper acceptance of his nomination by the returning officer.
According to the petition, MLA Rajen allegedly submitted incorrect information about his educational qualifications in his nomination papers. It also alleged that MLA Rajen did not disclose the details of a brick field in Lamshang.
On hearing the submission of the petitioner’s counsel, the high court served a notice to Rajen returnable on or before May 25, people familiar with the matter said.
