The Kerala High Court on Monday issued notices to the state government, Assembly Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, the Election Commission of India, and Pala MLA Mani C Kappan on a petition seeking a declaration that the legislator stands disqualified following his conviction in multiple cheque bounce cases.
Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas sought the responses of all four parties and scheduled the petition for its next hearing on September 22.
Petition Cites Mumbai Court Conviction
The plea was moved by Maharashtra resident Dinesh Menon, who submitted that Kappan, a legislator representing the Kerala Democratic Party, is disqualified from the legislative assembly. Menon approached the High Court after the Speaker took no action on a formal representation previously submitted to his office requesting the MLA’s disqualification.
According to the petition, a Mumbai court sentenced Kappan on September 1 to a cumulative prison term of three-and-a-half years across four separate cheque bounce cases. Menon contended that because the sentences in the four cases do not run concurrently, the total term renders the Pala MLA disqualified from serving as a lawmaker.
