BJP moves HC for quashing election of CM and Bharti
22 Jan 2014 5:38 AM IST
Two BJP leaders on Tuesday filed separate petitions in the Delhi High Court seeking quashing of the election of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet colleague Somnath Bharti on the ground that they both allegedly exceeded the poll expense limit of Rs 14 lakh.
Former Delhi BJP chief Vijender Gupta and former Delhi mayor Arti Mehra, who lost to Kejriwal and Bharti respectively in the recent assembly polls, have filed the pleas under a provision of the Representation of People Act relating to disqualification of a lawmaker.
The petitions, which are likely to come up for hearing during the week, alleged that both AAP leaders exceeded the poll expense limit of Rs 14 lakh fixed by the Election Commission.
They contended that Kejriwal and Bharti told the poll panel that they incurred Rs 4 and 5 lakh respectively in their election campaign.
‘If we add these expenses with the cost incurred in holding musical concert at Jantar Mantar on 23 November, 2013, it is proved that they spent more than Rs 14 lakh each in their election campaign,’ Mehra said.
Gupta and Mehra have submitted that EC has computed the cost of holding the concert ‘Gunj’ at Rs 40 lakh and if it is equally divided amongst three AAP candidates, including Kejriwal and Bharti — who organised the event, and then added to their whole expense, a clear cut case of disqualification is made out.
Moreover, the computation of cost done by EC has not been challenged within the stipulated 30 days and thus, it has attained finality, the petitions said.
Former Delhi BJP chief Vijender Gupta and former Delhi mayor Arti Mehra, who lost to Kejriwal and Bharti respectively in the recent assembly polls, have filed the pleas under a provision of the Representation of People Act relating to disqualification of a lawmaker.
The petitions, which are likely to come up for hearing during the week, alleged that both AAP leaders exceeded the poll expense limit of Rs 14 lakh fixed by the Election Commission.
They contended that Kejriwal and Bharti told the poll panel that they incurred Rs 4 and 5 lakh respectively in their election campaign.
‘If we add these expenses with the cost incurred in holding musical concert at Jantar Mantar on 23 November, 2013, it is proved that they spent more than Rs 14 lakh each in their election campaign,’ Mehra said.
Gupta and Mehra have submitted that EC has computed the cost of holding the concert ‘Gunj’ at Rs 40 lakh and if it is equally divided amongst three AAP candidates, including Kejriwal and Bharti — who organised the event, and then added to their whole expense, a clear cut case of disqualification is made out.
Moreover, the computation of cost done by EC has not been challenged within the stipulated 30 days and thus, it has attained finality, the petitions said.
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