Gujarat Minister moves SC against HC order nullifying his election

Gujarat Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court challenging the High Court's decision nullifying his 2017 election on the ground of malpractiees and manipulation.

Chudasama has sought setting aside of the Tuesday order of the Gujarat High Court by terming it as erroneous and contended that it has failed to appreciate that his rival Congress candidate Ashwin Rathod has not led positive, reliable and cogent evidence to prove any of the issues.

Therefore, he was not entitled to be declared as duly elected candidate from '58- Dholakia Constituency' for the Gujarat State Assembly Elections on December 14, 2017, the minister submitted.

The High Court in its decison held that the returning officer was "hand in gloves" with the BJP leader and postal ballots were rejected illegally.

Rathod had challenged his BJP rival's victory from Dholka constituency by a margin of mere 327 votes in the 2017 Gujarat Assembly polls.