Hardik Patel seeks permission for travelling to Bihar to campaign, notice issued

The Gujarat High Court on Friday issued notice to state government on a petition moved by Patidar leader Hardik Patel seeking permission to travel to Bihar to participate in election campaign as party's "star campaigner."

Gujarat Congress president Patel has been barred from leaving the state without court's permission, a condition imposed in his bail conditoin after arrest for remaining absent from the trial of 2015 sedition case despite repeated summons.

Justice Rajendra M Sareen issued notice to state government after the latter opposed Patel's plea and sought to file an affidavit. The matter has been kept for further hearing on October 27. Patel has moved high court through lawyer Anand Yagnik after his similar plea was rejected by the trial court.

During the hearing, Yagnik submitted that "Patel is a star campaigner of Indian National Congress for the state of Bihar and the election will commence soon and that he is required to go outside of Gujarat to campaign in the very upcoming election." He argued that "there is no likelihood of the trial commencing in the foreseeable future, and therefore such condition cannot be sustained legally."

The trial court had imposed this restriction earlier this year while granting him bail after his arrest for remaining absent from the trial in the sedition case.