Congress moves Gujarat HC over candidature rejection

Ahmedabad, Nov 28:

candidate from Visavadar constituency in Gujarat, Ratilal Mangroliya, on Tuesday approached the Gujarat High Court challenging the decision to scrap his candidature for the upcoming

by the

(EC). The petition filed through the Congress's legal cell is expected to come for hearing before a division bench on Thursday.

The EC cancelled Mangroliya's nomination on Monday after he failed to produce the party's mandate in time. He had submitted the mandate after the deadline of 3 pm got over on Nov 24, the last day for filing nomination paper for the first phase of the election scheduled for Dec 13.

Acting president of the legal cell VH Kanara said Mangroliya could not submit the mandate on time for some unidentified person had allegedly snatched the form just when he was about to submit it. He said Mangroliya could not submit the party's mandate due to the poor law and order problem in the state, which is ruled by the BJP. A robbery complaint has also been lodged in this regard.

Kanara also said that they have sought a direction to the commission to consider Mangroliya's candidature and to allow him to contest the election. He added that instead they have sought a direction to suspend the election for the constituency on the grounds of law and order problem.

The Congress had initially announced Harshad Ribadiya as its nominee for Visavadar but later replaced him with Mangroliya.

Scrapping of Mangroliya's candidature will mean that Visavadar seat is going to witness a straight contest between BJP's Kanubhai Bhalala and Gujarat Parivartan chief Keshubhai Patel.

OneIndia News