Former Union minister Subodh Kant Sahai is suffering from stunted growth, according to his own admission — the incumbent Ranchi parliamentarian has grown by only three years over the last five years.
Sahai was aged 53 years in 2004 Lok Sabha elections, his age progressed naturally and was rightly 57 years when he contested the 2009 general elections.
However, call it quirk of fate or some divine intervention, he has ceased to grow age-wise as it ought to have been.
The latest affidavit filed with returning officer (RO), Ranchi at the time of filing nomination on the eve of 2014 general elections, the parliamentarian has grown only by three years in last five years.
The MP has mentioned his age 60 in the affidavit.
According to the member’s bio-profile of Lok Sabha, Sahai’s date of birth is July 2, 1951. If his bio-profile is true, his age should have been 63 now.
Sahai, the Congress candidate from Ranchi constituency, filed his nomination papers on Saturday. Any political party in contest with two-time Ranchi MP can pick the age-mistake and lodge a complaint with the RO and chief electoral officer (CEO), prompting an inquiry and action.
{{/usCountry}}Sahai, the Congress candidate from Ranchi constituency, filed his nomination papers on Saturday. Any political party in contest with two-time Ranchi MP can pick the age-mistake and lodge a complaint with the RO and chief electoral officer (CEO), prompting an inquiry and action.
{{/usCountry}}CEO Jharkhand PK Jajoria told HT, “Putting incorrect and wrong information in the nomination papers or affidavit is an offence.”
“However, we have no role in this regard, as the powers lie with the RO. To start an inquiry, a political party or an candidate has to lodge a complaint with the RO,” said Jajoria.
The CEO added that if a written complaint reaches his office, he would ask the RO to determine action in this regard.
But the Ranchi RO, who is the deputy commissioner, Vinay Kumar Choubey had a different opinion.
“Age is not an ground of disqualification if it is not below 25 years. In Sahai’s case it might be a typographical error,” Choubey said.
However, a run through the affidavit shows that Sahai had hand written his age as 60 three times -- in Hindi numeral and words and in English numeral -in the nomination details.
Even as the Ranchi MP’s age has not grown as it ought to have been, his assets have doubled in the last five years.
According to the affidavit filed in 2009, his total assets were of Rs 2.71 crore, which increased to Rs 5.88 crore in 2014.