Animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi has written a letter to the Election Commission seeking disqualification of an Orissa MLA, who she claimed had not revealed a case of poaching registered against him at the time of filing of nomination for the state Assembly polls.
In the letter to Chief Election Commissioner BB Tandon, she claimed that Brahmogiri MLA LB Mahapatra had concealed information about his arrest in 1991 on charges of illegally entering the Satkosia sanctuary carrying firearms.
"This man is a poacher and is being tried for a criminal offence for which he was caught red-handed. He had weapons on him which is another potentially very grave sign. And this man lied on his election forms," she said.
"In the state elections of Orissa in 2004, Mahapatra did not show this case against him or write that he was on bail. This is a necessity under 33A of the Representation of People's Act and its violation leads to disqualification under the Act," the Lok Sabha MP said.
She has also written a letter to the Chief Justice of Orissa High Court to take steps to expedite the case pending against Mahapatra for the last 15 years.
{{/usCountry}}She has also written a letter to the Chief Justice of Orissa High Court to take steps to expedite the case pending against Mahapatra for the last 15 years.
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