Conviction will stall don’s political career
Gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli, who was legislator from 2004 to 2009, may never be called an aamdar (MLA) again. For, his conviction in the murder of Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar has effectively stalled his political career, Alok Deshpande reports.
Gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli, who was legislator from 2004 to 2009, may never be called an aamdar (MLA) again.
For, his conviction in the murder of Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar has effectively stalled his political career. According to the Representation of People Act, a convict is disqualified from contesting elections.
“Under section 8 (3) of the Representation of People Act, a person convicted for a term of two years or more cannot contest elections,” said YP Singh, a retired IPS officer-turned-lawyer.
Gawli had formed a political party named Akhil Bharatiya Sena (ABS) in 1996.
He had contested the 2004 Lok Sabha elections from south-central constituency.
Though he lost the election, he had bagged 92,000 votes. He later contested for the state assembly in 2004 and was elected from the Chinchpokli constituency.
After his arrest in 2008 for the murder of Jamsandekar, he fought the 2009 elections from jail. He lost to Congress candidate Madhu Chavan.
However, Gawli can continue to run his party and field candidates for elections. The ABS had contested for the civic elections in 2007, in which it bagged two seats.
His daughter Geeta Gawli and sister-in-law Vandana Gawli won from Byculla and retained their wards in 2012 civic elections too.
During the first term, the ABS supported the saffron alliance without becoming a part of it.
In 2012, Geeta was made the chairperson of the health committee.