HC notice to Pragya Thakur on petition challenging her election

The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Thursday issued a notice to BJP Bhopal MP Pragya Singh Thakur on a petition challenging her election to the Lok Sabha, the petitioner's lawyer said.

The petition seeks to set aside her election on the grounds that she allegedly adopted "corrupt practices" and whipped up communal passions during the campaign.

Rakesh Dixit, a journalist, has filed the petition in his capacity as a voter registered in Bhopal.

Advocate Arvind Shrivastava, his lawyer, said Justice Vishal Dhagat served the notice to Thakur on Thursday and sought his response within four weeks.

During the Lok Sabha poll campaign, Thakur violated section 123 (3) (seeking votes on the basis of religion) of the Representation of the People Act, the petition claimed.

She also made false statements against her rival and Congress candidate Digvijay Singh which violated section 123 (4) (making false and defamatory statements about another candidate) of the Act, the lawyer added.

Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, won from Bhopal, defeating Singh by 3,64,822 votes.