Sangma moves SC, challenges Pranab's election

Former Lok Sabha Speaker, P A Sangma, who lost the President’s election, on Tuesday approached the apex court contending that the election of Pranab Mukherjee was illegal.

Sangma argued that since he was holding the offices-of-profit as chairman of Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Kolkata, and leader of the Congress legislative party in the Lok Sabha during the time of filing the nomination papers.

In his election petition, he alleged that in fact a “false story” about the alleged resignation letter having been sent and accepted by ISI on June 26 was created. Even the alleged signature on the so-called resignation letter of Mukherjee wasn’t a genuine one, Sangma claimed.

The tribal leader from Meghalaya sought the apex court to declare the election of Mukherjee, as null and void, and pronounce him to be elected “as there were only two candidates in the fray”.

“Mukherjee was not qualified to contest the election under Article 58 of the Constitution of India because he was holding the offices-of-profit,” he said.

The election plea filed under the Section 17 and 18 of the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election Act, 1952, is likely to come up for hearing before a bench of the apex court of not less than five judges.

Sangma’s petition settled by BJP leaders and senior advocates, Ram Jethmalani and Satpal Jain, urged the apex court to summon all the records and hold the trial in the matter.