In a setback to Shiv Sena rebel and independent candidate Viplav Bajoria, the Supreme Court on Tuesday nudged him to withdraw his petition challenging the rejection of his nomination for the Amravati Local Authorities Constituency election to the Maharashtra Legislative Council. The court warned that if he did not withdraw, the petition would otherwise be dismissed.
Background of the Nomination Rejection
Bajoria had filed his nomination for the MLC poll. However, the district election officer rejected it during scrutiny after four rival candidates raised objections, declaring it invalid. This rejection prompted Bajoria to seek legal recourse.
Legal Journey
Challenging the rejection, Bajoria first moved the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court. The court refused to grant immediate interim relief and posted the matter for hearing on June 17. Subsequently, he approached the Supreme Court with a Special Leave Petition (SLP).
Supreme Court Hearing
The SLP came up before a bench headed by Justice P.K. Mishra on Tuesday. During the hearing, Justice Mishra observed that the petition was not maintainable at this stage and gave Bajoria two options: withdraw the plea or have it dismissed by the Court. Following this observation, Bajoria chose to withdraw the petition, which the Supreme Court then dismissed as withdrawn.
BJP Candidate's Caveat
BJP candidate Pravin Pote had filed a caveat in the matter. He was represented by Advocate Shreyas Lalit, assisted by Advocates Sandeep Gupta and Chandrashekhar Dorle.
Bajoria's Camp Vows to Continue Fight
Despite the Supreme Court setback, Bajoria's camp has signaled that it will not back down. Former MLA Gopikishan Bajoria stated that the legal battle was far from over and would be pursued "until the last possible moment." He elaborated, "We are not seeking a stay on the polls. We will request the High Court to allow Viplav to participate. A fresh application to this effect will be filed before the High Court today. We will continue our efforts and will not abandon the fight midway."
The development adds another twist to the political dynamics in Amravati, as the MLC election approaches. Bajoria's camp remains determined to secure his candidacy through legal channels.
