No law violated in election to Rajya Sabha: Jaishankar tells Supreme Court

New Delhi, Dec 14: Foreign Minister S Jaishankar has defended his election to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat last year, asserting that there was no violation of law.

Jaishankar, in his affidavit, says the voting procedure adopted by the Election Commission did not violate any law.

The pleas have also raised the issue of Election Commission''s power on issuance of separate notifications for holding by-polls for casual and regular vacancies in Rajya Sabha.

One of the petitions against Jaishankar has been filed by Congress leader Gaurav Pandya.

Both Jaishankar and Thakore were elected to Rajya Sabha on July 5 last year in by-polls held on seats vacated by Union ministers Amit Shah and Smriti Irani.

Jaishankar and Thakore had defeated Congress candidates Pandya and Chudasama respectively in the bypolls.

The Congress moved the Apex court after the Election Commission declared that polling will be held separately, which effectively meant the opposition party would not be able win any of the seats, given the numbers in state legislature.