HC dismisses plea against Pratibha's candidature

New Delhi, July 17 (UNI) The Delhi High Court today dismissed a writ petition challenging the constitutional validity of the candidature of UPA-Left Presidential nominee Pratibha Devisingh Patil.

Observing that a similar case was dismissed by the Supreme court earlier, a bench headed by Justice Vikramajit Sen fined petitioner, Ravi Ranjan Kumar, Rs 25,000 for wasting the time of the court.

The petitioner sought the dismissal of Ms Patil's candidature as she did not qualify the provisions under section 5 of the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act.

The Act states that the nominee to the President's post must have 50 proposers and as many people should second the candidature, which, according to the petitioner, was not followed in the case of Ms Patil.

Additional Solicitor General P P Malhotra and counsels for Ms Patil Siddharth Mridul and Sanjay Katyal presented before the court all the documents filed by her which were found according to the norms.

UNI