Prajwal Revanna to make counter-claim against A. Manju in poll plea

Source: thehindu.com

Prajwal Revanna, Hassan MP, will file a counter-petition before the Karnataka High Court against A. Manju of the BJP who had filed an election petition in the court questioning Mr. Prajwal’s election in the parliamentary polls in April-May this year.

Making a submission before the court on Monday, Mr. Prajwal’s counsel told the court that a plea would be filed under Section 97 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, to contend that even Mr. Manju cannot be declared as elected even if the court were to find Mr. Prajwal’s election as void.

Section 97 states that “when in an election petition a declaration that any candidate other than the returned candidate has been duly elected is claimed, the returned candidate or any other party may give evidence to prove that the election of such candidate would have been void if he had been the returned candidate….”

Justice John Michael Cunha, before whom two election petitions challenging Mr. Prajwal’s election, came up for hearing, adjourned further hearing till October 18. Another petition filed by G. Devaraje Gowda, a voter from the Hassan, also questioned Mr. Prajwal’s election. In both petitions, the challenge to Mr. Prajwal’s election was on the allegation that he had failed to declare his assets in the prescribed format and he had suppressed material facts on his assets, besides making false statements regarding ownership of properties and balances in bank accounts, and liabilities.

In his petition, Mr. Manju also sought an order declaring him as elected candidate in place of Mr. Prajwal.