HC notice to minister Ajay Maken on plea challenging election

The Delhi High Court on Friday sought a response from Union Minister Ajay Maken and the returning officer of his Lok Sabha constituency on a plea seeking to declare his election null and void for alleged violation of the model code of conduct.

The Delhi High Court on Friday sought a response from Union Minister Ajay Maken and the returning officer of his Lok Sabha constituency on a plea seeking to declare his election null and void for alleged violation of the model code of conduct.

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“Issue notice to respondents (Maken and Returning Officer of New Delhi Parliamentary constituency) for August 21,” Justice S Ravindra Bhat said.

The Court’s notice came on a petition, filed under the Representative of Peoples Act, seeking to declare Maken’s election null and void on the ground that he violated the code of conduct by spending much more than the maximum limit of Rs 25 lakhs.

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for petitioner Adesh Gupta, said Maken, Minister of State for Home, who claimed to have spent around Rs 20 lakhs in his election campaign, gave full page advertisements to various national and local dailies.

The MP adopted “corrupt practices” to get elected and distributed gifts among electorates, the counsel charged.

The petition cited comparative charts of rates charged by newspapers for publishing advertisements.