HC adjourns hearing of petition challenging Supriya's electio

Mumbai, Mar 16 (UNI) The Bombay High Court today adjourned for a week hearing on a petition, challenging election to the Rajya Sabha of Supriya Sule, daughter of Maratha Strongman and Union Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar.

The petitioner Vinod Vare, a resident of Mumbai, has challenged Supriya's election to the Rajya Sabha saying that she possesses property in Singapore, jointly with her husband. As per Singaporean rules only citizens of that country can purchase property there, that indicates that Supriya has citizenship of Singapore, apart from India. Therefore, she becomes disqualified as member of Parliament, having possessed dual citizenship.

Supriya has taken primary objection to the petition saying the petitioner has no locus standing to file such a petition, as only contesting candidates or voters can file election petitions under the Representation of Peoples Act and the petitioner was not a voter for Rajya Sabha elections.

Justice R S Mohite today heard petitioner's defence on the primary objection raised by the MP. Advocate D S Sakhalkar, arguing on behalf of the petitioner, submitted that though the petitioner has not directly participated in the election of Rajya Sabha member. the MLAs, who voted in the election did so on behalf of the petitioner only as the MLAs were elected by the petitioner.

Supriya was elected for Rajya Sabha unopposed on July 19 last year.

UNI