SC to hear Meenakshi Natarajan’s plea against Rajya Sabha nomination rejection today

The Supreme Court will hear Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan's plea challenging the rejection of her Rajya Sabha nomination from Madhya Pradesh. She alleges political interference, while authorities cite non-disclosure of a pending court case in her nomination affidavit

New Delhi: The Supreme Court is set to hear on Friday a plea by Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan 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 on Thursday assured an early hearing on Friday after senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Natarajan, sought urgent listing of the matter. During the mentioning, Singhvi contended that Thursday was the last date for withdrawal of nominations and argued that if the matter was not heard urgently, the petitioner would have to wait for six years to seek effective relief.

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The senior counsel also urged the apex court to stay the declaration of the election result pending adjudication of the dispute. However, the Justice Mishra-led Bench declined to pass any interim order at this stage and said that the matter would be taken up for hearing on Friday.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing on behalf of the Returning Officer, and senior advocate DS Naidu, appearing for the Election Commission, opposed the plea for urgent intervention.

The Congress leader has moved the apex court against the rejection of her nomination papers by the Returning Officer following objections raised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). According to the objection, Natarajan allegedly failed to disclose details of a case pending before a Telangana court in the affidavit filed along with her nomination papers.

The BJP’s objection was based on a petition filed by former corporate executive A. Srilatha before the Fourth Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court in Hyderabad. The petition alleged that Natarajan had extended political patronage to Kumbham Shivakumar Reddy, against whom Srilatha had levelled allegations, including molestation and criminal intimidation.

Natarajan has denied the allegations, describing them as part of a “political conspiracy”, and has opposed Srilatha’s petition before a Hyderabad court.

Earlier, the Congress leader had alleged that the Returning Officers were “compromised” and acting at the behest of the government. The Congress leader, who was the party’s lone Rajya Sabha candidate from Madhya Pradesh, claimed that efforts were being made to “subvert democracy” through the rejection of her nomination.

She had also launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led Centre, alleging that the Returning Officers were functioning as “spokespersons” of the ruling dispensation rather than as independent constitutional authorities.