Petition alleges poll code violation by BJP's Kirit Somaiya

A petition was today filed in the Bombay High Court seeking its directions to the Election Commission to take action against BJP nominee Kirit Somaiya for alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct and provisions of the Representation of Peoples Act.
The petition was mentioned by advocate Umesh Mohite before Justice Naresh Patil who said the bench would hear the matter in due course.
The petition prayed for a direction to authorities to institute an inquiry into "acts" of Somaiya which it says constituted the breach of Model Code of Conduct.
The petitioner Nikunj Dave alleged that despite complaints made to the Election Commissioner, city police commissioner and others, no action had been taken in this regard.

According to the petitioner, Somaiya, contesting from the Mumbai North East seat, was seeking votes in name of caste, community and linguistic affinity.
During public meetings, Somaiya was also criticising his rival candidate and sitting MP Sanjay Dina Patil by imputing private and personal aspects of the latter which had no relevance with his public activities, the petition alleged.
The petitioner also referred to a complaint filed on March 26 by a resident of suburban Mulund, Vilas Vishwanath Mane, alleging incidents of breach of the poll code by Somaiya and others.
Several such complaints had been filed against Somaiya but the authorities were not taking any action and hence the aggrieved petitioner moved the high court, the petitioner's counsel said.