Gujarat Pro Tem Speaker, others get 1-year jail

The Gujarat Assembly's newly appointed Pro Tem Speaker and veteran BJP MLA Nimaben Acharya and two others were on Monday sentenced to one-year in jail in a 2009 case pertaining to violation of the election code of conduct.

A Morbi Nagistrate's court pronounced the order while granting the convicts -- including a former legislator and another person -- an opportunity to challenge the order within 30 days.

Acharya, a legislator from Bhuj in Kutch district, former BJP MLA Kanti Amrutia and Manoj Panara, convenor of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti, were also fined Rs 2,000 each.

The case refers to the 2009 Lok Sabha polls in Morbi constituency of Saurashtra region when Nimaben, Amrutia and Panara were campaigning. Amrutia is a former MLA from Morbi.

"No evidence of our involvement has been put before the court. We are not happy with the judgment... We will approach a higher court against the ruling," Acharya told reporters.

He said "all the requisite permissions had been obtained during campaigning and that the case was politically motivated".

--IANS

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