In a significant legal move, former BJP MP Maneka Gandhi has petitioned the Allahabad High Court, challenging the validity of the election of Samajwadi Party’s Ram Bhual Nishad in the Sultanpur Lok Sabha constituency. The election, which saw Nishad emerge victorious by a margin of 43,174 votes, has been contested on the grounds of alleged discrepancies in the election affidavit submitted by Nishad.
The petition, lodged with the court registry on Saturday, is scheduled for a preliminary hearing by the Lucknow bench on July 30. In her claim, Gandhi accuses Nishad of concealing essential information regarding his criminal record during the nomination process of the recent parliamentary election. According to the petition, Nishad failed to disclose four out of twelve pending criminal cases against him, specifically omitting cases registered at the Pipraich and Barhalganj police stations in Gorakhpur district.
Highlighting the severity of the alleged omissions, Gandhi’s legal team has requested the court to annul Nishad’s election victory. The petition further seeks a declaration that would potentially recognize Maneka Gandhi as the rightful elected MP of the Sultanpur constituency.
