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Issues Notice In Against Three Rajya Sabha Members
The principal bench of the at Jabalpur has officially admitted an filed by former Congress Member of Parliament Meenakshi Natarajan, challenging the validity of the recent Rajya Sabha elections held in Madhya Pradesh. Justice B. P. Sharma, presiding over the matter, directed the issuance of formal notices to the three elected members—Tarun Chugh, Rajneesh Kumar Agarwal, and Mahesh Kewat—as well as the and the Returning Officer.
Genesis of the Electoral Dispute
The legal conflict stems from the Rajya Sabha elections, during which all three BJP candidates were elected unopposed. This outcome followed the rejection of Meenakshi Natarajan’s by the Returning Officer. The rejection was predicated on an objection raised by BJP representative Rahul Kothari, who alleged that Natarajan had failed to disclose a pending criminal case against her in Nampally, Hyderabad, involving charges of and .
Natarajan contends that the omission was lawful, arguing that the disclosure of criminal proceedings is only mandatory once a competent court has formally taken of the matter or framed charges. She maintains that the proceedings in Hyderabad remained at a pre- stage and that her role in the incident was limited to her organizational duties for the , without individual culpability.
Procedural Path to the High Court
Following the rejection of her nomination, Natarajan sought relief through the and subsequently the . The Apex Court dismissed her petition, noting that the election process had already commenced and that the appropriate legal remedy for such a grievance is an filed under the provisions of the . Consequently, she approached the to challenge both the rejection of her own nomination and the subsequent acceptance of the opposing candidates' nominations.
Judicial Observations and Next Steps
In the brief order issued on , the High Court bench observed:
"Heard on admission. Issue notice to respondents, on payment of requisite within seven working days. List on along with ."
The petitioner, represented by , has argued that the improper rejection of her nomination renders the entire election process of the three returned members void. The case now hinges on whether the Returning Officer acted in strict compliance with the statutory requirements for disclosure of criminal records. As the matter moves toward the next hearing on September 11, the respondents are expected to file their formal replies to the court, setting the stage for a critical interpretation of disclosure norms in .
