Meenakshi Natarajan moves SC challenging Rajya Sabha nomination rejection

New Delhi: The Supreme Court will hear Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan’s plea on Friday challenging the rejection of her nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha election from Madhya Pradesh.

A vacation bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Atul S. Chandurkar agreed to an early hearing after senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Natarajan, sought urgent listing. Singhvi told the court that Thursday was the last date for withdrawal of nominations and urged immediate consideration, saying any delay could leave the petitioner without effective relief for six years. He also sought a stay on the declaration of the election result pending adjudication; the bench declined to grant any interim order and said the matter would be taken up on Friday.

Natarajan has challenged the Returning Officer’s decision to reject her papers following an objection by the BJP. The objection cited a petition before a Hyderabad court by A. Srilatha, which alleged Natarajan had extended political patronage to Kumbham Shivakumar Reddy, who faces accusations including molestation and criminal intimidation. The BJP said the details of that case were not disclosed in Natarajan’s affidavit.

Natarajan has denied the allegations and described them as part of a “political conspiracy.” She has also argued before the apex court that the particular complaint cited and its current status were not of the kind that required disclosure in nomination papers.

Despite the pending legal challenge, all three BJP candidates for the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh were declared elected on Thursday, after disregarding the objection to Natarajan’s nomination, officials said.

Senior counsels Mukul Rohatgi (for the Returning Officer) and D.S. Naidu (for the Election Commission) opposed urgent intervention by the court. The hearing is scheduled for Friday.

(Inputs from IANS)