Guj HC admits Vaghela's petition challenging LS poll result

Gujarat High Court today admitted the petition of former Union Textile Minister Shankersinh Vaghela, who lost Lok Sabha elections from Panchmahal constituency, challenging the poll result.     

Justice B N Mehta while hearing the petition issued notices to BJP candidate Prabhatsinh Chauhan, who won the election, and other candidates who contested from Panchmahal Lok Sabha seat.     

The Court also directed the returning officer of the constituency to maintain status quo with regard to the election-related documents including CDs that had speeches of the contestants.     

Hearing on the matter has been posted for September 1. Vaghela, who lost election by 2081 votes, citing numerous instances in his petition has demanded that election of Chauhan to Lok Sabha be declared null and void and fresh elections conducted for the seat.     

Vaghela's lawyers Kirtikant Nanavati and Jitendra Malkhan submitted that during the election campaign Chauhan had resorted to corrupt practices by inciting people on communal lines.     

Nanavati submitted that they have asked the returning officer to provide them with all the video recordings done by the election commission of the meetings addressed by Chauhan, but have received only 200 out of the 1,000 CDs. 

The lawyers further submitted that there were incidents of booth capturing and bogus voting during the Lok Sabha elections in the state on April 30.     

Nanavati also requested the court to direct the returning officer not to destroy the election-related video recordings which is done as per rules after a certain period of time.

This would help them build their case, he said.

Following this, the court directed the returning officer to maintain status quo.     

In the petition, Vaghela also claimed that his request for re-polling in places where there were incidents of booth capturing was not entertained by the district returning officer.     

The Congress leader stated that his request for recounting was not considered by the Election Commission officials.      He also alleged that the affidavit filed by his opponent Chauhan with the EC had false information.     

Vaghela lost the elections from Panchmahal by around 2,000 votes.