Gujarat High Court to Evaluate Election Petition in Surat

The Gujarat High Court will initially examine the maintainability of the election petition filed by three voters challenging the returning officer's decision to reject the Congress candidate's nomination in Surat. The BJP candidate won the seat uncontested after the disqualification of the Congress nominee.

The Gujarat High Court announced Tuesday that it will first evaluate the maintainability of an election petition contesting the returning officer's rejection of the Congress candidate's nomination for the Surat Lok Sabha seat.

Mukesh Dalal from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was declared the winner after Congress nominee Nilesh Kumbhani's nomination was rejected and other candidates withdrew.

Justice J.C. Doshi pointed out that an identical petition had been filed by another voter and not by any losing candidates, necessitating a preliminary check of the petition's validity. The judge remarked on the potential influx of similar petitions if this one were entertained.

The case has been adjourned for further hearing on July 11.

The petitioners—Kalpesh Barot, Firoz Malek, and Ashok Pimple—have requested the court to overturn the returning officer's decision and nullify Dalal's victory.

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