Sangma chases Pranab to SC
22 Aug 2012 7:22 AM IST
Defeated National Democratic Alliance presidential candidate PA Sangma on Tuesday challenged the recently elected President Pranab Mukherjee’s victory in the Supreme Court, claiming Mukherjee held an office of profit while filing his nomination papers.
Sangma, in his petition, said Mukherjee was chairman of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in Kolkata when he plunged into the presidential race. He also said that during the election process.
Mukherjee was also leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party in the Lok Sabha. Sangma has contended in his petition that Mukherjee’s signatures on his resignation letter to the Indian Statistical Institute are neither of Mukherjee nor have been put by Mukherjee. ‘They are fabricated,’ Sangma said adding Mukherjee’s signatures on his resignation letter ‘do not match with his signatures appended on the reply dated 3 July, 2012 filed before the returning officers.’
Sangma said that Mukherjee was not qualified for contesting and for being the president of India and his nomination papers have been wrongly accepted by the returning officer.
Sangma’s petition said the ISI was governed by the provision of the Indian Statistical Institute Act, 1959 and the post of the leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party are governed by the
Leader and Chief Whips of Recognised Parties and Group in Parliament (Facilities) Act, 1998 and the rules thereunder and both these offices have been declared as office of profit by the Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Act, 1959.
The petition referring to Article 58 of the Indian Constitution, which makes a person ineligible for contesting the election to the post of president of India if such a person is holding an office of profit, wants the presidential poll result to be declared null and void and Sangma to be declared the president of India.
Earlier, in 1969, a petition was filed in the Supreme Court for setting aside elected president VV Giri for use of corrupt practices to influence voters. The case was dismissed and his election was upheld by the Supreme Court.
Sangma, in his petition, said Mukherjee was chairman of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in Kolkata when he plunged into the presidential race. He also said that during the election process.
Mukherjee was also leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party in the Lok Sabha. Sangma has contended in his petition that Mukherjee’s signatures on his resignation letter to the Indian Statistical Institute are neither of Mukherjee nor have been put by Mukherjee. ‘They are fabricated,’ Sangma said adding Mukherjee’s signatures on his resignation letter ‘do not match with his signatures appended on the reply dated 3 July, 2012 filed before the returning officers.’
Sangma said that Mukherjee was not qualified for contesting and for being the president of India and his nomination papers have been wrongly accepted by the returning officer.
Sangma’s petition said the ISI was governed by the provision of the Indian Statistical Institute Act, 1959 and the post of the leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party are governed by the
Leader and Chief Whips of Recognised Parties and Group in Parliament (Facilities) Act, 1998 and the rules thereunder and both these offices have been declared as office of profit by the Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Act, 1959.
The petition referring to Article 58 of the Indian Constitution, which makes a person ineligible for contesting the election to the post of president of India if such a person is holding an office of profit, wants the presidential poll result to be declared null and void and Sangma to be declared the president of India.
Earlier, in 1969, a petition was filed in the Supreme Court for setting aside elected president VV Giri for use of corrupt practices to influence voters. The case was dismissed and his election was upheld by the Supreme Court.
Next Story
