SC declines to hear BJP MLA's plea to vote in RS election

The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to hear a plea by a BJP legislator in Madhya Pradesh assembly seeking clarification that he can vote in the biennial election to the Rajya Sabha.

Rajendra Meshram was elected to the Madhya Pradesh assembly from Devsar in Singrauli district but his election was set aside by the high court in March 2015 for not complying with the provision of the Representation of People Act as he failed to file a certified copy of the voters list.

Declining to entertain plea by Meshram, the apex court vacation bench comprising Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Justice Amitava Roy said he should have sought the clarification when he moved the top court against the Madhya Pradesh High Court order nullifying his election to the state assembly.

The apex court, by its May 2015 order, while allowing Meshram to participate in the proceedings of the state assembly, barred him from taking part in the voting.

Meshram approached the apex court after he was informed by the assembly secretariat on June 6, 2016 that he cannot participate in the voting for the biennial election to elect Rajya Sabha members from Madhya Pradesh.

The direction that Meshram cannot vote came following a ruling by the Election Commission barring him from voting.

The vacation bench made it clear that it would not issue any clarification as his appeal against the high court order was being heard by another bench.

--IANS

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