SC notice to Prajwal on plea against his election in LS polls

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (June 3) admitted a plea for consideration against the Karnataka High Court's order dismissing an election petition filed against Prajwal Revanna who won from Hassan Lok Sabha constituency as a joint candidate of JDS and Congress.

A bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices A S Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy issued notice to Prajwal Revanna, grandson of ex-Prime Minister H D Devegowda on a petition filed by G Devarajegowda.

The petitioner, who is a voter, represented by senior advocate Pramila Nesargi and advocate Lakshmi Rao challenged the validity of January 31, 2020 judgement of the High Court, dismissing the election petition on "procedural irregularities". He claimed Prajwal had resorted to unfair and corrupt practices and his election should be set aside.

The petition filed by advocate Balaji Srinivasan contended that the HC did not consider the fact that by dismissing the election petition, it was running a risk of having a representative in Parliament who has not got the maximum number of valid votes.

The petitioner, an advocate by profession, sought a declaration of rival BJP candidate, A Manju as the winner for having secured the maximum number of valid votes.

A separate petition filed by Manju was also dismissed by the HC on January 17, 2020. He also filed a special leave petition against the judgement in the top court, which had on March 2, 2020, issued notice to Prajwal.

The HC had termed his plea as "not maintainable” for it was filed without an affidavit and thus incomplete in terms of the provisions of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961.

Manju had challenged the 2019 election of Prajwal on the ground that there was allegedly non-disclosure of assets held by him in his election affidavit.

Prajwal was declared as the winner with 6,76,606 votes. Manju came as a first runner up with 5,35,282 votes.