RS poll: HC rejects Patel's plea questioning rival's signature

The Gujarat High Court Thursday rejected Congress leader Ahmed Patel's plea seeking forensic analysis of BJP leader Balwantsinh Rajput's signature on a copy of the election petition filed by the latter.

Rajput, who lost to Patel in the 2017 Rajya Sabha election from Gujarat, has challenged the election alleging malpractice.

Justice Bela Trivedi dismissed Patel's application seeking a forensic analysis to check if Rajput's signature on the copy of the petition served to respondents was original or a photocopy.

Rajput's lawyer Devang Vyas contended that there was no need for forensic examination of the signature as it was original and Patel was trying to delay the hearing of the petition, he alleged.

Rajput, who quit the Congress to join the BJP and contested the August 2017 election, had moved the HC after he lost.

Two Congress MLAs had cross-voted during the election and their votes were eventually declared invalid by the Election Commission.