Court Upholds No Bypoll on Contested Gujarat Seat

The Gujarat High Court dismissed a petition demanding a bypoll in Visavadar, citing a pending case challenging the winning candidate's legitimacy. The seat, vacated by MLA Bhupendra Bhayani after joining BJP, remains unresolved due to legal proceedings. The court emphasized that election petitions must be resolved first.

The Gujarat High Court has dismissed a petition that sought to compel the Election Commission to conduct a by-election for the Visavadar assembly seat. The post has been vacant since its MLA resigned 10 months ago.

The court ruled that a by-election couldn't proceed while a petition, filed by a losing candidate contesting the current winner's legitimacy, is pending. The dispute is yet to be settled, and Bhupendra Bhayani, the former AAP MLA who resigned and joined BJP, remains a central figure in the controversy.

The court underscored that the pending election petition must be concluded before a bypoll can occur, reaffirming the necessity of a legal resolution prior to any electoral movement on the contested Visavadar seat.

(With inputs from agencies.)