Nomination papers of three Samajwadi Party candidates were rejected on Tuesday for the MLC (local bodies) elections for two seats of Etah-Mathura-Mainpuri and one in Kheri.
The papers of an independent candidate were also rejected along with the papers of two SP candidates for the two MLC seats of Etah-Mathura-Mainpuri, paving the way for unopposed election of BJP candidates.
The BJP candidates are likely to be declared winners on March 24, the day for withdrawal of nominations in Etah.
For the Kheri seat, nominations of SP candidate Anurag Verma and independent Navneet Shukla were rejected on technical grounds, leaving only two candidates in the fray – BJP’s Anoop Kumar Gupta and independent Nar Singh.
Gupta had complained to the returning officer that Verma’s affidavit had been notarized by a notary whose licence had expired.
In Etah, additional district magistrate (administration) Alok Kumar told media persons here that the “nomination papers were scrutinised today (Tuesday) and three papers, including those of Samajwadi Party candidates Udayveer Singh and Rakesh Yadav, were rejected. Singh and Yadav’s nominations were rejected due to incomplete affidavits.”
Meanwhile, Singh alleged that the district administration and police were in collusion with the ruling party and thus gave a free ticket to BJP candidates. He also accused BJP candidates and their supporters of attacking SP candidates and supporters with administration and police support.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, Singh alleged that the district administration and police were in collusion with the ruling party and thus gave a free ticket to BJP candidates. He also accused BJP candidates and their supporters of attacking SP candidates and supporters with administration and police support.
{{/usCountry}}“They attacked us, pelted stones on our vehicles and tore our clothes on Tuesday after doing similar acts on Monday. We are here to contest elections on the direction of our party, but the local administration and police placed all possible hurdles in our way so that BJP candidates could be declared elected unopposed,” said Singh, who informed that he had complained to the election commission about all “these unfair tactics” in the MLC elections.
Kumar, however, denied the charges and said the candidates were present in Collectorate and their nominations were rejected because of incomplete affidavits.
‘On getting information about the ruckus in the Collectorate area, police rushed there and restored peace. Police is registering a case in the matter on its own,” stated the ADM in Etah.
Later, a case was registered by sub-inspector at Kotwali police station of Etah against unidentified accused.
The rejection of nomination papers of SP candidates has paved the way for unopposed election of BJP candidates Om Prakash Singh and Ashish Yadav from the Etah-Mathura-Mainpuri local body seat for MLC election.
In the Kheri case, the returning officer stated that SP candidate Anurag Verma got his affidavit notarized by a notary advocate whose licence had expired.
He added that Verma failed to remove the objections within the stipulated time, following which all his three sets of nomination papers were rejected.
The returning officer also rejected the nomination papers of independent candidate Navneet Shukla over incomplete affidavit filed by him.
Verma termed the returning officer’s decision as partial and said it was taken under pressure. He said he would move court to seek justice in the matter.